ORIGIN,  HISTORY,  IMPROVEMENT,  DESCRIPTION,  CHARAC- 
TERISTICS, MERITS,  OBJECTIONS,  ADAPTABILITY,  ETC., 
v.    -...     OF  EACH  OF  THE  DIFFERENT  BREEDS, 


WITH 


Minis  on  Selection,  Care  and  Management,  Including 

Methods  of  Practical  Breeders  in  the  United 

States  and  Canada. 


SUustratefc. 


GEO.  W.  CURTIS,  M.  S.  A.t 

DIRECTOR  TEXAS  EXPERIMENT  STATION,  AND  PROFESSOR  OF  AGRICULTURE 
IN  THE  AGRICULTURAL  AND  MECHANICAL  COILEGE  OF  TEXAS. 


Second  Edition — Revised  and  Enlarged. 


1893. 

THE     RURAL     PUBLISHING     COMPANY, 
NEW    YORK. 


COPYRIGHT,  1893,  BY 
GEO.  W.   CURTIS. 

(All  Rights  Reserved.) 


FRERACE. 

IN  THE  PREPARATION  of  the  second  edition  I  have  aimed  to  use  to 
best  advantage  the  valuable  suggestions  of  my  co-workers  in  other 

states,  who  so  warmly  endorsed  the  first  edition  by  promptly  adopting 
it  for  text  use,  and  the  no  less  valuable  hints  from  farmers  and  stockmen 
who  so  kindly  judged  my  work  from  their  own  standpoint  of  practical 
value  on  the  farm. 

From  the  few  who  harshly  criticised  1  have  also  learned,  and  the  critics 
may  be,  therefore,  thanked  for  giving  aid,  although  not  so  intended. 

To  the  personal  friends  who  have  given  their  encouragement  and  aid  in 
the  prosecution  of  my  work,  I  can  only  offer  my  sincere  appreciation,  and 
express  the  hope  that  what  1  have  accomplished  may,  in  measure,  meet  their 
honest  approbation. 

COLLEGE-STATION,  TEXAS, 

JANUARY  i,  1893.  GEO.   W.  CURTIS. 


89854 


PREFACE  TO  FIRST  EDITION. 


From  early  boyhood  I  have  been  a  lover  of  good  stock,  familiar 
with  the  everyday,  practical  work  in  handling  and  feeding ;  and  when, 
as  a  student  in  one  of  our  agricultural  colleges,  my  attention  was  first 
drawn  to  the  need  for  a  suitable  text-book  on  domestic  animals,  I  began 
a  more  extended  study,  with  the  purpose  in  view  which  I  have  since 
striven  to  accomplish. 

In  presenting  this  volume  to  the  public,  I  desire  especially  to  ac- 
knowledge the  kindly  encouragement  received  from  my  co-workers  in 
the  line  of  agricultural  instruction.  Many,  like  myself,  have  been  giving 
lectures  to  their  students  on  the  subjects  treated  in  these  pages,  and, 
from  very  lack  of  time,  the  lectures  have  been  incomplete  and  unsatis- 
factory. The  urgent  requests  which  have  reached  me,  especially  during 
the  past  year,  have  greatly  encouraged  me  to  push  forward  the  work. 
From  another  class — the  general  stockman  and  farmer—  has  come  a  still 
more  urgent  demand  for  information  of  this  character.  I  have  received 
many  inquiries  which  these  pages  will  answer,  and,  while  the  successful 
stockman  is  one  who  understands  his  work,  I  trust  all  will  find  much  of 
interest  and  something  of  profit  in  their  perusal. 

The  statements  of  actual  methods  pursued  by  successful  breeders 
in  different  parts  of  the  country  will  be  found  of  great  value.  There 
are  many  young  farmers,  and  perhaps  some  older  ones,  who  are  in  need 
of  information  of  a  practical  kind  regarding  the  "  points"  in  handling 
stock,  and  for  all  such,  the  letters  from  practical  men  given  in  the  Chap- 
ters on  Care  and  Management  are  worthy  most  careful  study. 

In  all  assertions  as  to  average  weights  for  the  different  breeds,  it 
must  be  remembered  that  animals  are  frequently  found  which  exceed 
the  weights  given,  and  others,  just  as  frequently,  which  fall  below  them. 
•  It  is  very  difficult  to  make  statements  of  this  kind  which  will  not  be 
subject,  perhaps  justly,  to  criticism  from  partisans  of  the  several  breeds; 
but  it  has  been  my  aim  to  give  what  I  believe  to  be  the  truth,  regardless 
of  whose  shoulders  it  may  strike  most  heavily. 

The  statements  regarding  ease  of  acclimation  in  the  fever  belt  are 
made  after  a  very  careful  study  of  the  subject  for  the  last  five  years, 
and  an  extensive  correspondence  with  breeders  and  importers  of  north- 
ern bred  stock — especially  cattle —  in  the  states  bordering  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico. 

It  is  believed  that  full  credit  has  been  given  for  every  quotation;  but 


PREFACE.  V 

I  desire  to  make  especial  mention  of  the  Agricultural  Press.  From  many 
papers  I  have  quoted — from  all,  derived  something  of  value  which  has 
aided  me  in  my  work.  The  following  list,  while  it  does  not  include  all, 
represents  most  of  the  periodicals  devoted  wholly  or  in  part  to  live 
stock  to  which  I  am  in  any  way  indebted  :  Turf,  Field  and  Farm,  New  York;. 
Breeder's  Gazette,  Chicago;  National  Live-Stock  Journal,  Chicago;  Ameri- 
can Agriculturist,  New  York  ;  Western  Agriculturist,  Quincy,  Ills. ;  Cana- 
dian Live- Stock  Journal,  Hamilton,  Ont. ,  Canada;  American  Sheep  Breeder,. 
Chicago;  Herds  and  Flocks,  Chicago;  Hoard's  Dairyman,  Fort  Atkinson,, 
Wis. ;  Spirit  of  the  Times,  New  York  ;  Country  Gentleman,  Albany,  N.  Y. ; 
Rural  New-  Yorker,  New  York  ;  Soiithern  Cultivator,  Atlanta,  Ga. ;  Amer- 
ican Farmer,  Fort  Wayne,  Ind. ;  Farm  and  Home,  Springfield,  Mass. ; 
Breeder's  Journal,  Beecher,  111. ;  Texas  Farm  and  Ranch,  Dallas  ;  Texas 
Live-Stock  Journal,  Fort  Worth;  and  the  Texas  Stockman  and  Farmer,  of 
San  Antonio. 

To  many  breeders  I  am  indebted  for  information  respecting  various 
matters  of  interest,  and  to  each  I  would  express  my  appreciation  of  the 
aid  thus  kindly  given.  Among  others  to  whom  I  am  indebted  in  a  per- 
sonal way,  I  can  not  fail  to  mention  my  father,  Lyman  J.  Curtis  ;  to  the 
early  training  on  the  farm,  under  his — at  times  severely  strict — direc- 
tion, I  owe  much  of  whatever  I  have  since  jDeen  able  to  accomplish  ;  the 
later  instruction  of  my  valued  friend,  Professor  S.  A.  Knapp,  is  remem- 
bered with  pleasure  and  profit.  Of  more  immediate  importance  has 
been  the  faithful  assistance  of  my  wife  ;  without  her  aid,  relieving  me 
from  all  details  of  correspondence  and  clerical  work,  it  would  have  been 
impossible  to  publish  this  volume  for  at  least  another  year.  To  my  co- 
worker,  Professor  F.  A.  Gulley,  I  am  indebted  for  valuable  suggestions ; 
to  Professor  Louis  L.  Mclnnis,  Chairman  of  our  Faculty,  for  various 
courtesies;  and  to  my  assistant,  Mr.  J.  F.  Duggar,  and  Foreman  of  Farm, 
Mr.  J.  H.  Alsworth,  I  return  thanks  for  relief  from  routine  work  which 
would  otherwise  have  required  my  personal  attention. 


THE  AUTHOR. 


STATE  AGRL.  AND  MECHL.  COLLEGE, 
COLLEGE  STATION,  TEX., 
August,  1888. 


CONTENTS. 


PART   FIRST, 


THE  DIFFERENT  BREEDS  OF  HORSES. 


PERCHERONS 


CHAPTER  I. 


PACK 
.      IO 


CHAPTER  II. 


FRENCH  DRAFT 15 

CHAPTER   III. 
BELGIANS 19 

CHAPTER  IV. 
CLYDESDALES 22 

CHAPTER  V. 
ENGLISH  SHIRES 27 

CHAPTER  VI. 
SUFFOLK  PUNCH 31 

CHAPTER  VII. 
CLEVELAND  BAYS 34 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
FRENCH  COACH 37 

CHAPTER  IX. 
OLDENBURG  COACH 40 

CHAPTER  X.              .    .;    , 
GERMAN  COACH 42 


CHAPTER  XI.  PAGE 

HACKNEYS    .............    44 

CHAPTER  XII. 
THOROUGHBREDS    ..........    47 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
AMERICAN  SADDLERS     ........    58 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

AMERICAN  TROTTERS     ........    61 

CHAPTER  XV. 
ORLOFF  TROTTERS     .........    go 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
SHETLAND  PONIES  ..........    go 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
WELSH  PONIES   ...........    g3 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


EXMOOR  PONIES  ....        . 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
MEXICAN  PONIES 


CHAPTER  XX. 
INDIAN  PONIES   ...........    g6 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

HINTS  ON  SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT gg 

PART  SECOND, 


THE  DIFFERENT   BREEDS  OF  CATTLE. 


CHAPTER  XXII.               PAGE 
HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS 116 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
JERSEYS 125 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

GUERNSEYS  . 131 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
AYRSHIRES 135 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 
DUTCH  BELTED 140 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
AMERICAN  HOLDERNESS 144 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
BROWN  Swiss 148 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 
BRITTANIES 152 


CHAPTER  XXX.              PAGE 
KERRIES 154 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

SHORTHORNS ^57 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 
RED  POLLED 163 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 
DEVONS 167 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

LONGHORNS 173 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

NORMANDIES 176 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
NORTH  WALES  BLACK 180 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 
PEMBRQKES ....  184 


CONTENTS. 


Vll 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

HEREFORDS  . 


PAGE 

.  185 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 
GALLOWAYS      19 1 

CHAPTER  XL. 

ABERDEEN-ANGUS  .    . 196 

CHAPTER  XLI. 
POLLED  DURHAMS  .  .  201 


CHAPTER  XLIII.  PAGE 

SlMMENTHAL 2OJ 

CHAPTER  XLIV. 
BRAHMINS  (ZEBU) 210 

CHAPTER  XLV, 
WEST  HIGHLANDS  ..........  215 

CHAPTER  XLVI. 
TEXANS     .......  .  220 


CHAPTER  XLII. 
SUSSEX •    •    .    .    .  204 

CHAPTER  XLVII.    Vj, 
HINTS  ON  SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT 223 


PART  THIRD, 

THE  DIFFERENT  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP. 


CHAPTER  XLVIII.  PAGE 

MERINOS  .    .    . 236 

Ativoods 241 

Paulars 243 

Dickinsons 246 

Black  Tops    .    ...    ....    .    .    .  249 

Delaines 250 

CHAPTER  XLIX. 
HORNED  DORSETS 255 

CHAPTER  L. 
CHEVIOTS 257 

CHAPTER  LI. 

SOUTHDOWNS    .  .   260 


SHROPSHIRES 


CHAPTER  LII. 


PAGE 
.   264 


CHAPTER  LIII. 
HAMPSHIRES    .......  rt 267 

CHAPTER  LIV. 

OxFORDSHIRES       . 


COTSWQLDS 


CHAPTER  LV. 


CHAPTER  LVI. 


LEICESTERS 


271 
274 
278 


CHAPTER  LVII. 


LlNCOLNS        . .   282 


CHAPTER  LVIII. 

HINTS  ON  SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT    .    .    . 


286 


PART  FOURTH, 

THE  DIFFERENT   BREEDS  OF  SWINE. 


CHAPTER  LIX.               PAGE 
BERKSHIRES 294 

CHAPTER  LX. 
POLAND-CHINAS 298 

CHAPTER  LXI. 

DUROC-JERSEYS 301 

CHAPTER  LXII. 
CHESTER-WHITES 305 

CHAPTER  LXIII. 
TODD'S  IMPROVED  CHESTER-WHITES  .    .  307 

CHAPTER  LXIV. 


GOTHLANDS 


309 


CHAPTER  LXV. 
CURTIS  VICTORIAS 310 


CHAPTER  LXVI.              PAGE 
DAVIS  VICTORIAS 312 

CHAPTER  LXVII. 
CHESHIRES • .    . 314 

CHAPTER  LXVIII. 
SMALL  YORKSHIRES 317 

CHAPTER  LXIX. 
ESSEX 320 

CHAPTER  LXX. 
NEAPOLITANS 322 

CHAPTER  LXXI. 
ENGLISH,  or  BLACK  SUFFOLKS    ....  323 

CHAPTER   LXXII. 
AMERICAN,  or  WHITE  SUFFOLKS    .    .    .  324 


CHAPTER  LXXIII. 
HINTS  ON  SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT 325 


T,  Muzzle;  2,  Race,  Nose-bone,  or  Face;  3,  Forehead;  4,  Poll;  5,  Crest;  6,  Withers  or 
Shoulder-points  ;  7,  Back  ;  8,  Loins ;  9,  Hook,  Hip  or  Haunch-bone;  10,  Croup-bone,  or  Upper- 
rump ;  ii,  Upper-thigh,  or  Quarter;  12,  Lower-thigh,  or  Leg;  13,  Hock;  14,  Hind  Cannon,  or 
Shank-bone;  15,  Fetlock-joint,  sometimes  covered  with  long  hair  called  the  "Feather";  16, 
Pastern;  17,  Hoof;  18,  Stifle;  19,  Flank;  20,  Side,  or  Ribs;  21,  Girth;  22,  Elbow;  23, 
Shoulder ;  24,  Fore-arm  ;  25,  Knee  ;  26,  Front  Cannon ;  2  7,  Coronet ;  28,  Breast ;  29,  Neck ;  30,. 
Throat,  or  Throttle;  31,  Mane;  32,  Foretop  ;  33,  Nostril;  34,  Bulbs  of  the  Heel;  35,  Tail., 


PA.RT     FIRST. 


HORSES. 

DRAFT  BREEDS. 

PAGE 

PERCHERONS Chapter         1 10 

FRENCH  DRAFT "             II 15 

BELGIANS "            III ig 

CLYDESDALES "            IV 22 

ENGLISH  SHIRES "              V 27 

SUFFOLK  PUNCH "            VI 31 

HEAVY  CARRIAGE  BREEDS. 

CLEVELAND  BAYS Chapter    VII 34 

FRENCH  COACH "       J/III 37 

OLDENBURG  COACH "            IX 40 

GERMAN  COACH "              X 42 

HACKNEYS "            XI 44 

RUNNING  AND  SADDLE  BREEDS. 

THOROUGHBREDS Chapter    XII 47 

AMERICAN  SADDLERS "         XIII 58 

TROTTING  BREEDS. 

AMERICAN  TROTTERS Chapter  XIV 61 

ORLOFF  TROTTERS "           XV go 

SMALL,  OR   PONY  BREEDS. 

SHETLAND  PONIES Chapter  XVI go 

WELSH  PONIES "       XVII. g3 

EXMOOR  PONIES "      XVIII g3 

MEXICAN  PONIES "  .       XIX g4 

INDIAN  PONIES "           XX g6 

HINTS  ON  SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT. 

CHAPTER  XXI. gg, 


Chapter  I. 


PERCHERONS. 

The  Percheron  is  an  old  French  breed,  long  noted  for  rapid  and 
effective  draft  work,  and  always  supposed  to  owe  much  of  its  excellence 
to  Eastern  blood.  When  steps  were  taken  to  compile  the  Percheron 
Stud  Book  of  France.,  careful  inquiry  revealed  a  much  greater  predomi- 
nance of  Arabian  blood  than  had  been  previously  claimed. 

It  was  then  found  that — as  Mr.  Sanders,  in  his  treatise  on  Horse 
Breeding  puts  it — 

"What  the  Darley  Arabian  was  to  the  English  Thoroughbred,  and  the  gray  Arabian 
Smetanxa  to  the  Orloff,  the  gray  Arabian  Gallipoli  has  been  to  the  Percheron  horse  of 
France  " 

Du  Hays  (American  Translation  of  the  Percheron  Horse),  after 
•expressing  his  belief  in  its  descent  from  Arabian  blood,  says: 

"We  cannot,  however,  find  in  history  the  written  positive  proof  that  the  Percheron 
is  an  Arab,  but  we  believe  it  easy,  by  fair  historical  deduction,  to  prove  what  he  is  in 
fact." 

The  same  author,  speaking  of  the  improvement  of  the  breed,  states 
that: 

' '  The  Percherons  must  have  been  especially  modified  by  contact  with  the  breed  of 
Brittany,  where  their  striking  characteristics  are  now  met  with  in  a  large  number  of 
individuals." 

In  Volume  I.  of  the  American  Percheron  Stud  Book  we  find  this 
statement: 

"  Aside  from  the  history  and  traditions  of  the  country,  the  Percheron  horse  himself 
furnishes  unmistakable  evidence  in  his  form,  disposition,  color  and  general  characteristics 
that  he  is  closely  allied  to  the  Arab." 

Again,  from  the  same  source,  we  quote  : 

"As  the  immense  draft  horses  of  the  North  (Flemish)  were  closely  allied  to,  if  not 
identical  with,  the  large  breed  that  prevailed  in  Normandy  and  La  Perche,  prior  to  the 
modification  produced  by  the  introduction  of  the  blood  of  the  Arabian  and  the  Barb, 
heretofore  alluded  to,  it  was  very  natural  that,  when  the  Percheron  breeders  found  it 
•desirable  to  increase  the  size  of  their  horses,  their  eyes  should  be  turned  towards  this 
kindred  race,  from  which  other  countries  had  already  drawn  so  heavily  for  the  same 
purpose.  Accordingly  we  find  that  mares  in  large  numbers  were  taken  from  these 
northern  departments,  and  from  Belgium,  under  the  various  names  of  Belgians,  Bou- 
lonnais,  Mares  of  Picardy,  etc.,  and  were  bred  to  the  stallions  of  La  Perche.  Stallions 
from  the  same  country  were  also  extensively  introduced,  under  various  names  and  of 
slightly  differing  types.  But,  notwithstanding  the  multiplicity  of  names  arising  from  the 
different  departments  in  which  they  had  been  bred,  and  the  slight  variation  in  form  that 
existed,  they  were,  after  all,  nothing  more  nor  less  than  the  Flanders  Draft  Horse — the 
same  blood  that  had  already  exercised  so  potent  an  influence  upon  the  horse  stock  of 
Great  Britain." 

10 


PKRCHERONS. 


II 


PERCHERON  STALLION,  JOSEPH,  647'- 

Property  of  J.  W.  AKIN,  Scipio.  N    Y 


12  PERCHERONS. 

To  sum  up,  then,  briefly,  there  is  ample  proof  of  the  use  of  the 
celebrated  Arabian  stallions  (both  gray)  Godolphin  and  Gallipoli  in  the 
formation  of  the  Percheron  breed  ;  and  there  is  little  doubt  that — like 
the  heavy  British  breeds — it  owes  its  superior  size  to  crosses  with  the 
large  horse  of  Flanders. 

Importations  to  the  United  States  of  what  are  now  claimed  to  have 
been  Percherons  were  made  as  early  as  1851,  but  they  were  called 
simply  French  Horses.  In  1866  Mr.  W.  S.  Ficklin,  of  Charlottesville, 
Va.,  imported  several  Percheron  horses  under  their  proper  name;  and 
in  1868  William  T.  Walters,  of  Baltimore,  returning  from  France,  after 
a  sojourn  of  several  years,  brought  with  him  a  considerable  number  of 
these  horses ;  he  also  caused  to  be  translated  and  published  that  inter- 
esting little  work,  the  "Percheron  Horse,"  by  Du  Hays,  from  which  we 
have  quoted. 

And  now  a  word  in  regard  to  the  Perchero-Norman  controversy. 
In  1854  one  of  the  stallions  imported  in  1851,  under  the  name  of 
French  Horses,  was  sold  to  Messrs.  Dillon  &  Co.,  of  Normal,  111.  This 
horse  was  exhibited,  with  many  colts  of  his  get,  at  county  and  state 
fairs,  under  the  name  "Norman,"  and  soon  obtained  a  high  degree  of 
favor  among  horsemen  of  Illinois  and  neighboring  states.  In  this  way 
began  the  confusion  of  names  which  has  continued  more  or  less  una- 
bated until  within  the  past  few  years,  and  is,  even  now,  a  matter  of  con- 
siderable uncertainty  and  vexation.  When  the  first  steps  were  taken  to 
form  an  American  Stud  Book,  in  1876,  it  was  proposed  to  adopt  the 
name  "Norman."  For  reasons  which  he  considered  satisfactory,  Mr. 
Sanders,  secretary  of  the  association,  changed  the  name  to  "Percheron 
Norman  Stud  Book,"  the  association  afterward  ratifying  the  change. 
Many  breeders  of  French  horses,  however,  were  in  favor  of  the  term 
Norman,  and  accordingly  withdrew  from  the  offending  society  and 
began  the  publication  of  the  National  Register  of  Norman  Horses,  all 
draft  horses  imported  from  France  being  eligible  for  record.  There 
was,  if  such  were  possible,  greater  confusion  than  before,  the  names 
Norman,  Norman- Percheron,  Percheron-Norman,  Percheron  and  French 
Draft  obtaining  equal  prominence,  and,  indeed,  were  used  interchange- 
ably as  synonymous  terms  for  the  same  breed. 

In  1883,  the  Societe  Hippique  Perchonne  was  organized  in  France,  and 
the  Percheron-Norman  Society  immediately,  and  wisely,  adopted  the 
name  by  which  the  breed  is  recognized  in  its  native  country.  The 
name  was  thus  changed  to  the  Percheron  Society,  and  their  record  the 
Percheron  Stud  Book  of  America.  Thus  the  matter  of  nomenclature 
rests  for  the  present ;  each  breed  has  its  partisans  ;  both  are  valuable. 
While  we  do  not  propose  to  decide  between  them,  yet  we  cannot  forbear 
noticing  this  fact :  the  Norman  Register  admits  all  draft  horses  im- 
ported from  France.  The  Percheron  Society  requires  that  all  animals 


PKRCHERONS. 


PERCHERON   STALLION. 

Property  of  H.  A.  BRIGGS.  Elkhorn,  Wis. 


14  PERCHERONS. 

imported  after  January  ist,  1884,  must  be  recorded  in  the  Percheron 
Stud  Book  of  France.  The  value  of  this  restriction,  in  preserving  the 
purity  of  the  Percheron  breed,  is  at  once  apparent,  and  cannot  fail  to 
attract  favorable  notice  from  all  lovers  of  thoroughbred  stock. 

Secretary  S.  D.  Thompson,  Chicago,  111.,  writes  under  date  of 
December  20,  1892  : 

"The  Percheron  Association  is  in  a  flourishing  condition,  the  number  of  entries 
up  to  date  being  greater  than  those  of  all  the  other  draft  horse  associations  combined. 
The  fifth  volume  of  the  Percheron  Stud  Book  is  now  in  press,  and  will  be  issued  at  an 
early  date." 

DESCRIPTION     AND     CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  varies,  gray — mostly  dappled — predominating,  while  there 
are  many  pure  blacks  and  bays,  and  all  shades  of  gray,  from  the  darkest 
iron  to  almost  pure  white.  The  body  is  low,  square  and  full  in  all 
points,  with  magnificent  head,  and  a  neck  which,  for  beauty,  would  not 
disgrace  the  proudest  of  Barbs.  Legs  are  short  in  proportion,  and 
while  very  massive,  are  yet  fine  and  close  knit.  Percheron  breeders 
claim  almost  perfect  immunity  from  bone  and  leg  diseases,  such  as  ring- 
bone, splint,  wind-galls,  etc.  Our  own  experience  with  the  breed,  par- 
ticularly with  the  half-blood  colts  from  native  mares,  has  not  justified  an 
admission  of  this  claim,  and  we  feel  compelled  to  state  that  some 
breeders,  and  many  who  have  used  the  Percheron  grades  for  heavy  farm 
or  other  work,  have  expressed  a  belief  that  the  Percherons  are  even 
more  subject  to  these  troubles  than  some  of  the  other  breeds. 

The  Percheron  is  a  draft  breed,  mature  stallions  weighing  from 
i, 600  to  2,100  or  2,200  pounds,  and  their  get  from  ordinary  mares  weigh- 
ing from  1,200  to  1,700  or  1,800  pounds,  when  grown.  They  are  quick, 
active  and  intelligent.  Some  have  thought  them  vicious,  and  we  have 
known  a  number  of  ill-tempered  representatives  of  the  breed  ;  but  it  is 
more  than  likely  that  the  troublesome  temper  was  caused  by  unskillful 
or  "vicious"  grooms.  Quite  a  number  have  been  brought  to  Texas 
from  Northern  states,  and  some  imported  direct  from  France.  While 
they  stand  the  climate  as  well  as  any  of  the  large  breeds,  yet  we  cannot 
say — as  do  some  of  their  partisan  breeders — that  they  acclimate  with, 
perfect  safety. 


Chapter  II. 


FRENCH    DRAFT  (NORMAN). 

From  the  chapter  on  Percherons  will  be  gathered  somewhat  of  the* 
author's  ideas  as  to  the  name  and  present  status  of  the  Norman  or 
French  Draft.  As  there  stated,  the  term  French  Draft  includes  not 
only  the  Percheron,  but  also  the  other  heavy  families  or  breeds  of 
French  horses.  We  can  see  much  good  sense  and  considerable  neces- 
sity in  perpetuating  the  registry  of  French  Draft  horses;  many  have 
been  and  are  still  being  imported  to  the  United  States  which  are  not 
eligible  to  record  in  the  Percheron  Stud  Book  by  reason  only  of  nativity 
in  another  province  than  Perche  ;  and  many  of  these  horses  stand  as 
individuals,  and  produce  a  progeny,  second  to  none  of  the  modern  draft 
breeds.  The  National  Register  of  Norman  Horses  admits  all,  draft 
horses  of  thorough  French  blood,  no  matter  to  what  breed:  or  family, 
they  may  belong.  We  can  see  no  just  cause  for  the  apparently  in-, 
terminable  wrangle  between  those  who  set  themselves  up  as  champions 
of,  and  authority  on,  respectively,  the  French  Draft  and  Percheron 
breeds.  The  former  includes  the  latter,  and  the  latter  is  now  undoubt- 
edly more  closely  bred  and  limited  as  to  registry  than  the  former.  There, 
is  no  foundation  that  we  can  see  for  claiming  that  any  breed  should 
have  exclusive  credit  for  improvement  in  American  draft  horses,  and 
there  is  no  doubt  that  very  many  of  the  French  Draft  horses  now  in  the 
United  States  have  no  superior  among  even  the  most  select  Percherons. 

The  precise  origin  of  the  French  Draft  horse  would  be  hard  to  trace. 
So  many  strains  or  families,  all  bred  out  from  a  common  center,  and  im- 
proved in  whatever  direction  best  suited  the  demands  of  any  peculiar 
locality,  would  naturally  tend  to  break  somewhat  the  line  of  descent. 
According  to  Youatt,  who  wrote  in  1831,  the  Province  of  Normandy 
was  the  one  most  noted  at  that  time  for  its  horses,  the  French  govern- 
ment buying  annually  from  the  Norman  stock  for  use  in  the  other  prov- 
inces. 

Prof.  Low,  in  his  great  work  on  the  Domestic  Animals  of  Great 
Britain,  published  in  1842,  noted  the  same  facts,  and  attributed  it  to  the 
better  grass  and  food  conditions  found  in  this  province.  All  the  heavy 
horses  of  the  continent,  and  through  these,  of  the  British  Islands,  may 
be  traced  to  the  low,  rich  regions  of  middle  and  southwest  Europe. 
The  old  Black  Horse  of  Flanders  doubtless  owed  his  great  size  to  these 
natural  conditions  of  vegetation,  and  may  very  properly  be  considered 
a  sort  of  mile-post — a  stepping  stone — between  the  horses  left  in  that 


i6 


FRENCH     DRAFT    (NORMAN). 


FRENCH     DRAFT    (NORMAN). 


1 8  FRENCH    DRAFT    (NORMAN). 

country  by  the  warlike  nations  of  northeast  Europe  in  the  frequent 
invasions  west  and  southward,  and  the  modern  draft  horses  of  France. 

The  first  importation  of  Norman  horses  to  the  United  States  was 
made  about  1839,  but  not  until  1850-60  were  many  imported  to  the 
Western  states.  Since  that  time,  however,  they  have  become  widely 
and  favorably  known.  In  the  South  they  are  better  known  than  the 
Percherons,  and  do  as  well  in  all  respects. 

The  National  Norman  Horse  Association,  organized  in  1876,  was, 
in  1884,  changed  to  and  incorporated  as  the  National  French  Draft 
Horse  Association.  C.  E.  Stubbs,  of  Fairfield,  la.,  is  the  present  sec- 
retary. 

DESCRIPTION     AND     CHARACTERISTICS  . 

As  bred  and  known  in  the  United  States,  there  is  so  little  difference 
between  the  French  Draft  and  the  Percheron  as  to  preclude  any 
necessity  for  statement,  other  than  has  been  already  given  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter  (which  see).  The  only  point  to  which  attention  may 
be  called  is  that  there  appears  to  be  a  wider  diversity  in  color  and  a 
greater  variation  from  type  among  French  Draft  than  among  Percheron 
horses.  In  this  connection,  compare  also  the  illustrations  of  French 
Draft  and  Percheron  horses,  all  of  which  have  been  carefully  selected 
as  representative  animals  of  the  breeds  in  question. 


Chapter  III. 


BELGIAN    DRAFT. 

A  comparatively  new  breed  to  America,  but  one  which  is  earning 
marked  distinction  on  merit  alone.  The  Belgian  Draft  is  a  direct  de- 
scendant of  the  original  Black  Horse  of  Flanders,  and  has  been  devel- 
oped in  unison  with  his  neighbor  breed,  the  Boulonnais  ;  indeed,  the 
latter  bids  fair  to  become  a  member,  part  and  parcel,  of  the  former. 
There  has  been  more  or  less  activity  among  Belgian  importers  to  the 
United  States  since  about  1870.  Dr.  A.  G.  Van  Hoorebeke,  of  Mon- 
mouth,  111.,  was  probably  the  first  to  import,  and  his  early  importations 
in  1866  and  next  succeeding  years  were  called  Boulonnais.  Of  late 
years,  however,  Belgium  has  insisted,  and  rightly,  on  giving  her  name 
to  her  peculiar  horse  stock,  and  the  Doctor's  later  importations,  as  well 
as  those  of  Messers.  Massion  &  Son,  of  Minonk,  111.,  and  other  reliable 
importers,  have  been  under  the  name  by  which  they  are  now  recognized. 

The  American  Association  of  Importers  and  Breeders  of  Belgian 
Draft  Horses  was  organized  in  1877,  with  J.  D.  Conner,  Jr.,  of  Wabash, 
Ind.,  secretary.  All  draft  horses  imported  from  Belgium  prior  to  Jan- 
uary ist,  1888,  on  satisfactory  proof  of  same,  are  eligible  to  registry. 
Any  horse  imported  from  Belgium  after  January  ist,  1888,  is  not  eli- 
gible to  registry  unless  previously  registered  in  the  Government  Reg- 
ister of  Belgium,  known  as  the  Society  of  Belgian  Stock  Farmers. 
Animals  bred  in  the  United  States  from  registered  sires  and  dams  are 
eligible  to  registry  under  the  rather  peculiar  caption:  "Native  Full- 
Bloods." 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  generally  bay  or  brown-black,  but  sorrel,  roan  and  other 
colors  are  occasionally  found.  In  size  they  are  about  equal  to  the  Per- 
cheron,  perhaps  somewhat  larger,  say  an  average  of  from  1,650  to 
2,200  Ibs.  for  mature  stallions.  The  head  is  small  and  close  fleshed; 
the  neck,  short  and  very  powerful ;  chest,  wide  and  deep  ;  back  short 
and  broad,  full  over  kidneys ;  hips  long  ;  legs  short,  with  wide,  flat 
bone,  heavy  muscle,  and  feet  of  proverbial  soundness.  As  compared 
with  the  Percheron,  they  are  more  compact — "blocky" — and  more  nearly 
round  in  the  body,  but  withal,  resemble  them  so  closely  in  many  points 
as  to  warrant  a  second  look,  even  from  an  expert,  before  passing  judg- 
ment as  to  breed  of  the  animal  in  question. 

19 


20 


BELGIAN    DRAFT. 


DC    = 

31 


O  5 


to  2 

o 
»-  -^ 


BELGIAN     DRAFT 


21 


Chapter   IV. 


CLYDESDALES. 

Like  the  Percheron,  the  French  Draft,  and  in  fact  all  of  the  other 
Draft  Breeds,  the  Clydesdale  owes  its  original  merit  to  the  Black  Horse 
of  Flanders — a  lineal  descendant  of  the  great  Black  Horse  of  Northern 
Europe,  which,  according  to  Professor  Low,  inhabited  "in  the  wild  state 
the  vast  regions  of  marsh  and  forest  which  stretched  all  through  Europe 
to  the  Euxine  [Black]  sea."  The  first  mention  we  have  of  large  horses 
in  Scotland  is  found  in  a  particular  edict  of  "Safe  Conduct"  from  King 
Edward  I.,  issued  in  1352,  and  referring  to  "ten  large  horses,"  which 
were  to  be  taken  to  Teviotdale.  Although  it  is  not  definitely  stated 
whence  these  horses  came,  yet  from  the  fact  that  the  edict  was  obtained 
by  the  Earl  of  Douglas,  it  may  be  reasonably  inferred  that  the  horses 
were  taken  from  Douglas  Castle,  in  the  upper  portion  of  Lanarkshire, 
otherwise  termed  Clydesdale;  and  from  the  additional  fact  that  the 
Earl  of  Douglas  was  an  ancestor  of  that  famous  breeder  of  Clydesdales, 
the  Duke  of  Hamilton,  we  may  reasonably  suppose  that  these  "ten 
large  horses"  were  an  important  factor  in  laying  the  foundation  of  the 
original  Lanarkshire  breed. 

And  now,  in  relation  to  the  use  of  the  Black  Horse  of  Flanders,  we 
have  the  following  from  the  retrospective  Volume  of  the  Clydesdale  Stud 
Book: 

"Some  time  between  1715  and  1720,  John  Paterson,  of  Lochlyoch,  on  the  estate  and 
in  the  Parish  of  Carmichael,  grandson  of  one  John  Paterson,  who  died  at  Lochlyoch  in 
1682,  went  to  England,  and  brought  from  thence  a  Flemish  stallion,  which  is  said  to  have 
so  greatly  improved  the  breed  in  the  Upper  Ward  as  to  have  made  them  noted  all  over 
Scotland." 

From  the  same  authority  we  quote  : 

"The  Lochlyoch  mares  were  generally  browns  and  blacks,  with  white  faces  and  a 
little  white  on  their  legs  ;  they  had  gray  hairs  in  their  tails,  occasionally  gray  hairs  over 
their  bodies,  and  invariably  a  white  spot  on  their  belly,  this  later  being  recognized  as  a 
mark  of  distinct  purity  of  blood." 

There  earn  be  little  doubt  of  the  presence  of  Flemish  blood  in  the 
present  Clydesdale  race.  But  we  are  strongly  inclined  to  give  credit,  not 
so  much  to  the  heavy,  clumsy  Black  Horse,  as  to  the  infusion  of  some 
lighter  but  stronger  blood,  which  has  given  to  the  breed  its  well  known 
courage  and  action,  in  marked  contrast  to  the  sluggish  movements  of 
the  old  Cart  or  Lincoln  horse  of  England.  The  colors  of  the  Lochlyoch 
mares — the  last  of  which  died  out  some  thirty-five  years  ago — consid- 
ered in  connection  with  the  predominant  bay  color  of  modern  Clydesdales, 


CLYDESDALES. 


24  CLYDESDALES. 

would  point  toward  the  old  Cleveland  horse  as  a  probable  factor  in 
improvement,  and  .this  view  is  strengthened  by  many  characteristics 
common  to  both  breeds. 

The  name  of  the  breed,  Clydesdale,  would  indicate  its  restriction 
to  that  particular  locality,  but  these  horses  were  very  generally  bred  in 
other  portions  of  Scotland,  and  obtained  their  name  solely  from  the 
fact  that  in  Clydesdale  they  were  earlier  brought  to  a  high  degree  of 
merit  and  pushed  into  more  prominent  notice. 

Importation  to  America,  both  Canada  and  the  United  States,  has 
been  active  and  long  continued.  Through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  C.  F. 
Mills,  Springfield,  111.,  the  present  secretary  of  the  association,  we  are 
enabled  to  give  the  following  list  comprising  all  the  early  importations 
of  Clydes: 

"  In  1842,  Gray  Clyde  78    was  imported  by  Archibald  Ward,  of  Markham,  Ontario. 

"  1845,  Sovereign  181    was  imported  by  R.  Johnson,  Scarboro,  Ontario. 

"1847.  Marquis  of  Clyde  101  was  imported  by  Thomas  Summerville,  Whitby, 
Ontario. 

"  1850,  Cumberland  106  was  imported  by  David  Roundtree,  Jr.,  Weston,  Ontario. 

"1855,  Bay  Wallace  5  was   imported  by  William  Cochrane,  Claremont,  Ontario. 

"1855,  Clydesdale  Jock  33  was  imported  by  John  R.  Torrence,  of  Markham, 
Ontario,  and  Jock  of  the  Side  760  by  Simon  Connor,  Markham,  Ontario. 

"  1855,  Merry  Farmer  20  was  imported  by  Mrs.  A.  Ward,  of  Markham,  Ontario, 
and  Byron  197  by  James  Dalziel,  of  Chesterfield,  Ontario. 

"1857,  Rob  Roy  90,  by  Thomas  Irving,  Montreal,  Quebec;  and  Black  Douglas  27 
by  William  Miller,  Pickering,  Ontario.  Prior  to  1860  a  number  of  very  choice  Clydes- 
dale stallions  were  imported  into  Ohio  by  Fullington  &  Co.,  none  of  which  have  been 
recorded." 

Since  1860  their  introduction  has  been  very  rapid,  and  the  number 
bred  in  America  has  more  than  kept  pace  with  imported  stock. 

The  Clydesdale  Society  of  America  was  organized  in  1877,  and  the 
first  volume  of  the  American  Clydesdale  Stud  Book  was  issued  in  1882; 
imported  animals,  to  be  eligible,  must  be  recorded  i-.\  the  Clydesdale  Stud 
Book  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  ;  and  American-bred  stallions  or 
mares  must  trace  to  recorded  sires  or  dams,  or  have  four  or  five  recorded 
top  crosses. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS    OF    MODERN    CLYDESDALE  : 

Color,  either  bay,  brown  or  black,  with  usually  a  white  strip  in  the 
face — "  blaze" — and  more  or  less  white  on  the  feet  and  lower  parts  of  the 
legs ;  occasionally  there  is  found  a  dun,  chestnut,  or  even  sorrel.  The 
color  which  may  be  called  peculiar  to  the  breed  is  a  light  bay, 
fading  to  still  lighter  bay  at  the  flanks,  between  the  thighs,  and  forward 
on  the  belly  line.  In  size  they  are  classed  with  the  large  breeds,  stallions 
ranging  from  1,70010  2,100  pounds,  and  mares  from  1,200  to  i, 600  pounds. 
In  appearance  the  Clydesdale  horse  is  a  large,  tall,  rangy  animal,  with  a 
long  head,  medium  neck,  strong  legs,  heavily  fringed  with  hair  below 


CLYDESDALES. 


26  CLYDESDALES. 

the  knee,  and  long  slanting  shoulders — the  latter  a  point  well  worth 
noticing  as  inclining  toward  greater  activity  than  is  usual  with  the  large 
breeds. 

As  compared  with  the  Percheron  or  the  French  Draft,  the  Clydes- 
dale horse  is  longer  legged,  longer  bodied,  and  of  more  quiet  temper- 
ament. Our  observation  and  experience  with  the  half  blood  colts  from 
native  mares  fully  bear  out  the  assertion  that  they  are,  almost  with- 
out exception,  kind,  quiet,  intelligent  and  easily  broken.  One  very 
prominent  characteristic  is  their  naturally  fast  walk.  The  American 
farmer  is  not  slow  to  appreciate  the  superior  value  of  a  team  that  will 
plow  three  acres  of  ground  in  a  day,  as  against  one  that  with  the  same 
plow,  will  turn  but  two  acres  ;  and  this  fact  has  done  much  to  advance 
the  interests  of  the  Clydesdale  in  America.  The  tendency  of  late  to 
widen  the  breach  between  Clydesdales  and  English  Shires  has  induced 
breeders  of  the  former  to  look  more  to  appearance  and  action,  and 
gradually  lower  the  average  in  weight — thus  leaving  to  breeders  of  the 
latter  a  market  demand  for  great  weight  and  appearance,  with  action 
somewhat  in  the  background. 

A  point  to  which  many  object  is  the  fringe  of  long  hair  at  the  fet- 
lock, already  referred  to;  the  objection,  however  well  founded,  has  caused 
certain  breeders  to  attempt  a  reduction  of  the  characteristic — with  what 
success  remains  to  be  seen.  In  the  South  the  Clydes  are  perhaps  not 
so  well  known  as  the  French  Draft;  but  the  few  shipments  made  are 
said  to  have  done  remarkably  well.  It  is  claimed,  indeed,  that  no  other 
horse  of  the  heavy  breeds  can  so  well  endure  the  Southern  climate. 

The  engravings  give  an  accurate  idea  of  representative  Clydesdales, 
and  illustrate,  at  the  same  time,  the  superior  character  of  Galbraith 
Brothers'  stud. 


Chapter   V. 
ENGLISH    SHIRES. 

From  the  preceding  chapter  on  Clydesdales,  we  have  seen  that 
all  of  the  modern  draft  breeds  are  descended  from  the  great  Black 
Horse  of  northern  Europe,  with  such  modifications  as  different  soils, 
vegetation,  climate  and  care  would  induce.  Referring  to  this  breed, 
Prof.  Low,  of  Edinburgh  (already  quoted),  writing  in  1842,  after  speak- 
ing of  its  occupying  the  entire  west  and  southwest  portions  of  the  main- 
land, says  : 

"The  same  widely-spread  race  extends  into  England,  where  it  presents  itself  with 
the  same  general  characters  as  in  the  ancient  countries  of  the  Belgic  Gauls,  the  Batavi, 
the  Frisiandones,  and  others.  It  is  found  in  numbers  from  the  Humber  to  the  Cam, 
occupying  the  rich  fens  of  Lincoln  and  Cambridge,  and  extending  westward  through  the 
counties  of  Huntingdon,  Northampton,  Leicester,  Nottingham,  Derby,  Warwick  and 
Stafford  to  the  Severn.  Although  most  abundant  in  districts  of  rich  pastures,  it  has 
extended  northward,  and  very  widely  southward  into  the  counties  of  the  Chalk,  retain- 
ing the  typical  characters,  but  varied  with  the  climate,  food,  and  other  circumstances 
affecting  its  culture  and  condition.  In  the  commons  and  poorer  grounds  it  presents  the 
coarse  pack-horse  form,  distinctive  of  the  greater  part  of  the  older  horses  of  England. 
But  in  the  fens  and  richer  cultivated  country,  it  attains  the  strength  and  stature  of  the 
largest  horses  which  the  world  produces." 

From  these  early  horses,  then,  have  descended  the  modern  Shires 
of  England  ;  but  we  must  look  further,  under  the  head  of  improvement, 
to  find  how  the  unwieldy  giant  Lincolnshire  or  Black  Cart-horse  was 
finally  moulded  into  the  handsome,  large  but  fairly  active  horse  now 
known  as  English  Shire.  Of  the  first  improvement,  we  get  a  good  idea 
from  Youatt  (on  the  Horse),  1861,  who  says  : 

"All  our  heavy  draft  horses,  and  some  even  of  the  lighter  kind,  have  been  lately 
much  crossed  by  the  Flanders  breed,  and  with  evident  improvement.  Little  has  been 
lost  in  depth  and  bulk  of  carcase  ;  but  the  fore  hand  has  been  raised,  the  legs  have  been 
flattened  and  deepened,  and  very  much  has  been  gained  in  activity.  The  slow,  heavy 
black,  with  his  2^  miles  an  hour,  has  been  changed  into  a  lighter  but  yet  exceedingly 
powerful  horse,  that  will  step  four  miles  in  the  same  time,  and  with  perfect  ease,  and  has 
considerably  more  endurance.  *  *  *  As  the  Racer  is  principally  or  purely  of  Eastern 
origin,  so  has  the  English  Draft  horse  sprung  chiefly  from  Flemish  blood,  and  to  that 
blood  the  agriculturist  has  recourse  for  the  perfection  of  the  breed." 

During  late  years,  the  improvement  of  the  Shire  has  been  very 
great,  breeders  struggling  successfully  to  secure  less  bulk  with  equal 
weight  and  added  muscle.  Probably  the  lighter  horses  of  England,  as 
well  as  the  famous  medium-sized  "Dutch  Mares,"  have  had  something 
to  do  in  bringing  about  this  very  desirable  change  ;  certain  it  is,  that  the 
English  Shire  of  to-day  is  a  horse  fit  to  walk  in  the  front  rank  of  any 
breed  of  modern  draft  horses. 

27 


28 


ENGLISH    SHIRES. 


ENGLISH     SHIRES. 


30  ENGLISH    SHIRES. 

Importation  to  America  has  been  slow.  No  very  large  importations 
had  been  made  up  to  eight  or  ten  years  ago  ;  but  since  that  time,  west- 
ern farmers  have  found  out  their  peculiar  worth,  and  the  demand  thus 
created  has  led  to  great  activity  in  importing  circles.  The  American 
Shire  Horse  Association  has  been  lately  organized,  with  C.  Burgess,  of 
Wenona,  111.,  secretary.  The  first  volume  of  the  English  Stud  Book 
for  Shire  or  Cart  Horses  was  published  in  1880,  since  which  time  some 
seven  volumes  have  appeared — a  fact  which  in  itself  illustrates  the 
remarkable  demand  upon  English  breeders  to  supply  registered  Shire 
stock  for  American  shipment. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS  . 

The  full  description  given  of  the  Clydesdale  in  preceding  chapter, 
with  some  few  changes,  may  be  accepted  as  a  correct  description  of  the 
English  Shire.  Colors  are  about  the  same,  with,  perhaps,  a  predomi- 
nance of  blacks,  browns  and  bays ;  but  the  darker  shades  of  gray,  both 
dappled  and  steel  or  iron  gray,  are  more  frequently  met  with.  The 
"blaze,"  or  bald  face,  and  white  feet  and  stockings,  are  marks  common 
to  both  Shire  and  Clyde,  and  the  same  is  true  of  the  long  hair  at  and 
above  the  fetlocks,  commonly  known  as  the  "feather."  English 
breeders  adhere  with  rigid  tenacity  to  their  faith  in  purity  of  blood,  as 
shown  by  the  feather;  while  American  importers  and  breeders  are  as 
surely  convinced  that  the  feather  is  not  only  worthless  but  positively 
injurious,  by  reason  of  keeping  the  feet  in  foul  condition  unless  carefully 
cleaned  and  attended  to.  We  can  honestly  admire  the  silken  fringe  of 
soft  feather,  but  we  must  express  our  belief  that  its  absence  would 
detract  nothing  from  the  value  of  either  Shire  or  Clyde.  In  point  of 
size,  the  English  Shire  is  larger  of  the  two,  and  has,  perhaps,  less  of  that 
American  objection — daylight — underneath.  Importers,  however,  as  a 
rule,  have  brought  over  the  more  compact  and  stylish  Shires,  and  it  is 
commonly  no  little  trouble  to  decide  by  simple  judgment  of  the  indi- 
vidual, whether  the  animal  is  Clyde  or  Shire.  (Compare,  also,  illustra- 
tions of  the  two  breeds.) 

In  the  South  the  Shires  are  little  known,  and  we  can  say  nothing  as 
to  their  relative  merits  in  our  warm  climate ;  but  in  the  West  they  are 
becoming  more  popular  with  each  succeeding  year,  and  have  an  assured 
future  along  with  the  other  draft  breeds. 


Chapter   VI. 


THE    SUFFOLK    PUNCH. 

This  breed  of  horses,  which  has  for  many  years  enjoyed  such 
merited  popularity  in  England,  has  of  late  years  found  substantial  and 
growing  favor  with  American  breeders.  The  origin  of  the  Suffolk 
Breed  is  somewhat  obscure,  but  the  best  evidence  obtainable  indicates 
the  use  of  Norman  stallions  on  the  best  native  Suffolkshire  mares. 
That  this  is  true  is  strongly  evidenced  by  the  Suffolk  color — sorrel,  or 
light  chestnut — which  has  so  often  been  found  a  compromise  color 
between  bay  and  gray ;  the  former  being  represented  in  the  native 
marcs,  the  latter  being  the  predominating  color  of  the  Norman  stock. 

As  far  back  as  1745  the  Suffolk  was  famed  for  its  still  prominent 
characteristic — draft ;  and  notices  of  the  breed  at  the  drawing  matches 
of  that  period  may  be  unearthed  among  the  old  files  of  some  of  the 
English  newspapers. 

Improvement  of  the  Suffolk  has  been  very  great,  especially  within 
the  last  quarter  century.  Formerly  there  was  said  to  be  a  tendency 
to  foot  troubles,  but  in  the  modern  breed  this  tendency  has  disappeared. 
Among  the  later  breeders  and  improvers,  we  may  mention  Mr.  Alfred  I. 
Smith,  of  Woodbridge,  Suffolkshire,  England.  Mr.  Smith  has  been 
especially  active  in  stimulating  American  demand  for  his  sorrel  favorites, 
and  since  1861,  when  his  stud  was  established,  has  furnished  many  of 
the  noted  prize  winners  at  English  fairs.  In  the  United  States,  many 
of  our  most  prominent  importers  of  Shires  and  Percherons  have  lately 
been  importing  Suffolks,  and,  we  understand,  the  demand  is  fast  increas- 
ing. The  incorporation  of  the  American  Suffolk  Punch  Horse  Associa- 
tion— A.  R.  Galbraith,  Janesville,  Wis.,  secretary — places  the  breed  in 
popular  light,  and  insures  the  steady  advance  of  Suffolk  interests  in  the 
United  States. 

DESCRIPTION     AND     CHARACTERISTICS  . 

Color,  almost  invariably  chestnut  or  sorrel;  size,  somewhat  less 
than  Shire  or  Clydesdale,  having  an  average  height  of  15^  to  16^  hands, 
and  weighing  at  maturity  from  1,400  to  i,8oolbs.  The  body  is  round, 
close  and  compact,  with  short,  clean  legs,  and  pasterns,  free  from  the 
troublesome  long  hair  of  the  Shire  and  Clyde.  The  shoulders  are  long, 
and  lie  well  forward  for  draft;  the  bone  is  small  but  firm;  the  hind 
quarters  long,  heavy  and  well  coupled  to  a  short,  close-knit  back.  The 

31 


SUFFOLK    PUNCH. 


SUFFOLK     PUNCH  33 

general  appearance  indicates  a  rather  over  medium-sized  sorr-el  horse 
with  heavy,  round  body  and  short  legs.  The  Suffolk  is  emphatically  a 
draft  animal,  valuable  for  remarkable  steadiness  and  great  faithfulness 
in  the  collar.  He  will  pull  every  pound  which  is  possible,  and  no  whip 
is  needed  or  should  be  used  to  urge  his  natural  freedom  in  work.  As  a 
horse  for  the  general  farmer,  it  would  be  hard  to  find  one  more  suitable 
— having  a  good,  fast  walk,  an  even  "all-around"  trot,  and  sufficient 
weight  to  save  muscle  work  before  plow  or  harrow. 


Chapter  VII. 


CLEVELAND   BAYS. 

We  have  no  authentic  data  regarding  the  origin  of  the  Cleveland 
breed,  but  give  what  seems  to  be  the  most  probable  of  the  many  theo- 
ries advanced.  Professor  Low  says  : 

"  It  has  been  formed  by  the  same  means  as  the  Huuter,  namely,  by  the  progressive 
mixture  of  the  blood  of  the  Race  Horse  with  the  original  breeds  of  the  country." 

A  later  writer  regards  it  as  an  offshoot  from  the  old  Scandinavian 
horse,  improved  by  careful  breeding  under  the  different  climatic  condi- 
tions of  England.  By  others  he  is  thought  to  be  a  lineal  descendant  of 
the  old  war  horse  in  ages  past.  We  think  it  probable  that  a  gradual 
use  of  horses  of  higher  breeding  on  heavy  mares  of  the  larger  English 
breeds,  combined  with  marked  skill  and  care  in  handling,  has  finally 
resulted  in  the  formation  of  this  excellent  breed.  Certain  it  is,  that 
about  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  the  horses  of  Cleveland 
were  in  great  demand,  and  their  breeding  was  carried  on  with  system 
and  success ;  for  a  time  they  gradually  declined  in  public  favor,  and 
indeed  were  threatened  with  total  extinction,  but  during  later  years  the 
breed  has  again  advanced  in  favor,  and,  thanks  to  the  efforts  of  the 
American  Cleveland  Bay  Society  (R.  P.  Stericker,  of  Springfield,  111., 
secretary),  is  once  more  widely  and  favorably  known.  The  name  of  the 
breed  is  taken  from  the  district  of  Cleveland,  in  Yorkshire,  England, 
where  it  was  first  known,  and  the  term  bay  was  added  to  indicate  the 
prevailing  color. 

DESCRIPTION    AND     CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color,  invariably  a  bright  bay,  either  light  or  dark,  with  black  mane  and  tail,  black 
points,  and  usually  a  small  white  spot  between  "bulbs"  of  the  heel.  In  size  they  are 
medium,  individuals  standing  from  sixteen  hands  to  sixteen  hands  three  inches  in  height, 
and  weighing  from  1,100  to  1,300  Ibs.  The  head  is  of  fair  size,  with  a  face  of  kindly 
expression  and  intelligent  cast ;  neck  finely  arched  and  well  set  on  to  long,  sloping 
shoulders;  back  short ;  loins  even  and  powerful ;  hips  of  good  length  and  legs  straight, 
close  knit,  and  free  from  long  hairs  at  the  fetlock. 

The  Cleveland  Bay  is  a  general  purpose  horse,  heavy  enough  for  all  ordinary  farm 
work,  and  active,  stylish  and  with  ample  speed  for  either  wagon  or  carriage  use.  In 
breeding  he  transmits  color,  bone,  style,  kind  and  docile  disposition,  and  general  char- 
acteristics to  a  marked  degree  ;  he  is  easy  to  handle,  and  for  use  in  grading  on  the  pony 
mares  of  the  great  Southwest,  we  doubt  if  his  superior  can  be  found,  or  indeed  his 
equal.  Royalty  and  Lord  Derby  (see  illustrations),  both  prize  winners  are  excellent 
representatives  of  the  breed,  and  fully  bear  out  the  oroverbial  good  judgment  of  their 
respective  importers 

34 


CLEVELAND     BAYS. 


CLEVELAND    BAYS. 


Chapter  VIII. 

FRENCH  COACH  HORSES. 

{Demi-  Sang. ) 

These  horses  are  the  direct  result  of  the  wisdom  and  foresight  of 
the  French  government.  Some  time  during  the  latter  part  of  the  i8th 
century  the  government  began  the  establishment  of  studs  and  breeding 
stables,  in  anticipation  of  an  approaching  scarcity  of  good  horses  for 
the  cavalry  service.  Thoroughbred  stallions  from  England  were  intro- 
duced and  their  services  offered  to  breeders  at  remarkably  low  rates,  the 
policy  of  the  government  being  to  buy  back  the  get  of  these  horses,  and 
eventually  establish  a  breed  of  the  peculiar  type  desired.  The  practice 
led  to  a  great  deal  of  trickery  in  the  way  of  selling  good-Jooking  in- 
dividuals on  appearance  solely,  the  fraud  only  appearing  when  the  ani- 
mal was  used  for  breeding  purposes.  To  obviate  this  trouble,  the  French 
government  adopted  the  plan  of  buying  up  superior  stallion  colts  and 
rearing  them  in  the  public  studs.  In  addition  to  this,  the  owners  of  very 
superior  stallions  are  granted  a  bonus  by  the  government,  on  condition 
that  the  stallion  in  question  shall  remain  in  the  country  for  service  ; 
a  second  class — the  owners  of  stallions  good  but  not  fine — are  allowed 
to  offer  their  stallions  for  service,  but  receive  no  subsidy  ;  no  stallions 
except  these  two  classes,  and  those  belonging  to  the  government,  are 
allowed  to  stand.  In  certain  departments  of  France  only — as  notably 
in  Orne,  Calvados  and  Seine-Infe'rieure — is  government  attention  directed 
to  the  production  of  Coachers  ;  in  other  departments  the  Thorough- 
bred, the  Breton  and  the  celebrated  Norman  and  Percheron  horses  re- 
ceive in  turn  particular  attention.  The  American  French  Coach  Horse 
Association  has  been  organized,  and  a  Stud  Book  started.  S.  D.  Thomp- 
son, of  Wayne,  111.,  is  the  present  secretary. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

The  color  of  the  Franch  Coach  is  usually  bay,  but  chestnuts  are  abundant  and 
blacks  quite  common  ;  the  fashion  in  America  calls  for  bays,  and  most  of  our  importers 
have  selected  with  a  view  of  supplying  this  fashionable  demand.  In  size  they  rank  with 
the  Cleveland — an  average  weight  falling  between  1,000  and  1,200  Bbs.  for  stallions. 
The  head  is  small,  with  full  forehead,  expressive  eyes,  fine  muzzle,  and  medium,  quick- 
playing  ears  The  neck  is  long,  well  arched  and  firmly  set  on  long,  sloping  shoulders. 
The  back  is  short ;  hips  long  and  well  up  ;  legs  of  good  length,  firmly  knit,  and  with 
tough,  well-made  feet.  In  general  appearance — as  will  be  seen  by  a  glance  at  the  en- 
gravings— the  French  Coach  Horse  is  just  what  the  name  indicates,  a  stylish,  well-made 
carriage  horse  of  good  action  and  fine  appearance. 

37 


FRENCH    COACH. 


Cfl   = 
</>  -a 


FRENCH     COACH. 


39 


Chapter  IX. 


OLDENBURG   COACH   HORSES. 

Concerning  the  origin  of  the  Oldenburg  Coacher,  we  learn  from 
Hoffmeister's  "History  of  the  Oldenburg  Horse,"  published  in  1884, 
that  Oldenburg  has  long  been  noted  for  its  fine  horses.  As  far  back  as 
the  i6th  century,  careful  steps  were  taken  to  advance  the  horse-breeding 
interests.  Hoffmeister,  in  the  work  above  mentioned,  says : 

"  From  1552  to  1557  Count  Johann  was  on  intimate  terms  with  the  sons  of  Christian 
III.  of  Denmark,  then  being  educated  at  Copenhagen,  afterwards  aiding  each  other  in  the 
wars  of  Sweden  and  Denmark.  These  kings  took  an  active  interest  in  the  horse  culture, 
and  imported  horses  from  Turkey,  Italy  and  Spain.  The  pride  that  Johann  XVI.  took  in 
horse  culture,  without  doubt,  was  taken  up  by  his  relatives  and  carried  to  Oldenburg." 

Unlike  the  French  Coacher — admittedly  of  recent  formation — the 
Oldenburg  horse  is  supposed  to  be  the  product  of  steady  breeding  in 
blood  lines  for  many  generations,  with  a  basis  of  Oriental  blood — Turk, 
Barb  and  Arabian  — on  the  best  common  or  native  mares  of  the  Duchy. 
C.  E.  Stubbs,  one  of  the  leading  breeders  of  Oldenburgs  in  America, 
says  concerning  their  origin  : 

"Without  a  doubt  the  blood  of  the  Arabian  and  Barb  was  more  than  300  years  ago 
carried  to  Oldenburg  and  infused  into  the  native  blood  of  the  country,  which  has  devel- 
oped the  present  large,  high-gaited,  symmetrical  horses  of  the  Duchy. " 

Their  importation  to  America  has  been  only  within  the  last  few  years, 
but  there  are  already  a  goodly  number  of  breeders  and  very  many  excel- 
lent individual  animals  credited  to  this  side  of  the  Atlantic.  The  Amer- 
ican "Oldenburg  Coach  Horse  Association"  has  been  recently  organ- 
ized (C.  E.  Stubbs,  Fairfield,  Iowa,  secretary),  and  after  some  trials  and 
tribulations  in  the  way  of  suits  and  restraining  injunctions,  is  now  fairly 
launched  before  the  public. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Uniformly  blacks,  bays  or  browns,  with  or  without  dapples,  and  in- 
variably with  mealy  nose.  In  size  they  are  about  equal  to  the  Cleveland 
Bay — stallions  weighing  from  1,100  to  1,300  or  1,400  Ibs.,  and  standing 
from  16  to  16}^  hands  in  height.  They  are  spirited,  high  headed,  high- 
knee  acting,  intelligent  looking  carriage  horses,  with  neat,  clean  legs, 
and  firm,  well  made  feet.  Although  spirited,  they  are  uniformly  kind  in 
disposition,  and  are  known  to  be  easily  broken  and  handled  for  carriage 
uses. 

40 


OLDENBURG     COACH. 


41 


Chapter  X. 


GERMAN    COACH    HORSES. 

("  German,  Hanoverian  and  Oldenburg  Coach  Horses."} 

As  the  name  of  the  breed  indicates,  it  is  of  immediate  German  ori- 
gin, and  as  the  name  of  the  American  Association  appearing  in  paren- 
theses at  the  head  of  this  chapter  further  indicates,  there  are  admitted 
to  entry  horses  from  several  different  sections  of  the  German  empire. 

As  near  as  we  can  learn,  the  status  of  the  two  Coach  breeds  from 
Germany  furnishes  a  parallel  to  that  of  the  two  Draft  breeds  from  France 
— Percheron  and  French  Draft.  Beyond  all  question  there  is  much  if 
not  all  the  same  foundation  stock  in  both  Oldenburg  and  German  Coach, 
the  main  difference  being  that,  while  with  the  Oldenburg  registration  is 
limited  to  horses  produced  in  Oldenburg,  or  descendants  of  horses  so 
produced,  with  the  German  Coach  Horse  Stud  Book,  not  only  Olden- 
burg Coachers,  but  also  Coach  Horses  from  other  portions  of  the  empire 
and  their  descendants  are  admitted  to  registration.  It  is  doubtless  true 
that  many  equally  good  horses  are  to  be  found  in  Germany  outside  of  the 
Duchy  of  Oldenburg,  and  that,  therefore,  there  is  some  wisdom  in  hav- 
ing a  Stud  Book  Association  which  admits  to  entry  good  horses  not 
strictly  Oldenburg  bred.  At  the  same  time  we  cannot  fail  to  notice  the 
value  of  the  restriction  to  certain  set  blood  lines  which  the  Oldenburg 
Stud  Book  requires.  The  Oldenburg  is  to  the  German  Coacher  what 
the  Percheron  is  to  the  French  Draft — the  more  carefully  guarded  blood 
element,  which  has  been  and  is  still  being  preserved  in  restricted  reg- 
istration, and  which  must,  therefore,  prove  of  greatest  value  for  breeding 
purposes. 

The  first  importation  of  German  Coachers  to  *he  United  States  was 
made  by  the  well-known  firm  of  Oltmann  Bros.,  Watseka,  111.,  in  1885, 
since  which  time  they  have  been  imported  and  bred  in  large  numbers. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color,  black,  bay,  brown  or  chestnut,  with  or  without  dapples — 
sometimes  with  a  small  white  star,  and  occasionally  with  white  feet  and 
ankles.  In  size  they  also  vary  somewhat  more  than  the  Oldenburg, 
stallions  standing  from  15^  to  16^  hands,  and  weighing  from  1,000  to 
1,400  Ibs.  As  above  indicated,  they  differ  from  the  Oldenburg  chiefly 
in  showing  greater  variation  in  all  things — color,  size  and  action;  but  the 
really  good  specimens  of  either  breed  are  identical  to  all  intents  and 
purposes. 

42 


GERMAN     COACH. 


43 


Chapter  XI. 


HACKNEYS. 

The  origin  of  the  Hackney  cannot  be  stated  in  definite  terms ; 
indeed,  it  has  been  only  within  the  last  decade  that  it  has  been  strictly 
considered  a  breed.  The  late  change  in  rules  of  the  English  Associa- 
tion, permitting  entry  to  the  English  Hackney  Stud  Book  on  a  basis  of 
inspection  of  individual  animals,  and  infusion  of  blood  other  than 
Hackneys  proper ;  and  which  was  immediately  followed  by  one  of  the 
Hackney  Associations  in  America,  if  persisted  in,  should  not  fail  to 
draw  disfavor  upon  the  breed,  and  cause  a  real  degeneration  in  fixedness 
of  character  among  Hackneys  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic.  There  are 
over  10,000  horses  now  recorded  in  the  English  Hackney  Stud  Book, 
and  with  this  number  as  a  basis,  it  is  surely  time  to  draw  the  lines 
closely  regarding  the  admission  of  more  outside  blood. 

The  foundation  of  the  Hackney  must  be  sought  in  the  blood  of  the 
Hunter,  combined  with  that  of  the  English  Thoroughbred,  and  with 
sufficient  infusion  of  blood  of  the  common  middle-sized  horse — generally 
known  in  England  as  the  "Farmer's  Horse" — to  insure  harness  gaits 
and  tractability.  The  strains  of  blood  which  are  just  now  most  popular 
among  Hackneys  are  those  of  "Confidence"  and  "Fireaway" — indi- 
viduals, especially  of  the  latter  breeding,  commanding  ready  sale  at 
good  figures.  The  Fireaways  were  especially  noted  as  the  best  saddle 
strain  which  England  has  ever  seen,  and  their  blood,  handed  down 
through  imported  Bellfounder,  as  will  be  seen  in  Chapter  on  American 
Trotters,  has  proved  desirable  in  more  than  one  direction. 

It  cannot  be  stated  that  the  Hackney  is  yet  a  finished  product  so 
far  as  breeding  is  concerned.  He  is,  rather,  a  horse  of  education,  style 
and  fashion  ;  the  breeders  of  Hackneys  formerly  selecting  individual 
animals  which  were  nearest  the  type  demanded  by  the  fashion  of  the 
day,  regardless  of  the  blood  lines  which  they  represented.  In  later 
breeding,  however,  a  great  deal  of  this  uncertainty  has  been  eliminated, 
and  with  a  proper  system  of  registration  the  Hackneys  would  soon 
become  an  established  fixture  in  blood. 

Concerning  the  origin  of  the  name,  the  Horse-Breeder,  London, 
England,  says  : 

"We  cannot  altogether  say  whether  the  Hackney  derives  its  name  from  the  London 
Suburb  of  that  name,  or  from  the  verb  to  hack,  derived  from  the  French,  to  chop  small 
or  to  cut  to  pieces ;  most  likely  the  latter,  as  hacks  of  all  sorts  come  in  for  a  good  deal  of 
chopping  and  cutting  to  pieces.  It  is  from  the  same  word  we  have  the  Scotch  word 

44 


HACKNEYS. 


45 


46  HACKNEYS. 

"haggis,"  a  very  healthy  national  dish,  most  indigestible  to  most  Englishmen.  There 
seems  a  disposition  on  the  part  of  some  of  our  northern  friends  to  go  back  to  the  original 
verb,  and  make  the  Hackney  Stud  Book  a  sort  of  "haggis"  Stud  Book;  at  any  rate,  a 
Stud  Book  for  hacks.  Now,  hacks  and  hackneys  are  very  different  animals." 

From  the  above  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Horse-Breeder  is  disposed 
to  exercise  what  in  America  we  call  "good  horse  sense,"  in  that  it 
emphatically  objects  to  the  introduction  of  any  more  outside  blood,  and 
consequent  production  of  a  "haggis,"  or  in  American  parlance  "hash," 
Stud  Book.  The  American  Hackney  Horse  Society  of  New  York  City 
is  the  one  recognized  by  the  English  Association  as  the  "Hackney 
Association  of  the  United  States,"  and  as  such  should  be  the  one  to  pay 
close  attention  to  the  real  improvement  of  the  Hackney  breed.  A 
proposition  has  been  made  offering  to  compromise  on  a  set  of  rules  for 
entry,  and  it  is  hoped  that  the  two  American  Associations  will  agree 
upon  some  of  the  disputed  points,  and  work  together  for  Hackney 
interests. 

DESCRIPTION     AND     CHARACTERISTICS. 

The  colors  found  are  bays,  blacks,  browns  and  chestnuts,  often 
with  white  star  and  sometimes  with  white  feet  and  ankles.  In  size  they 
are  about  equal  to  the  French  Coacher,  standing  15  to  16  hands  high 
and  weighing  from  1,000  to  1,300  pounds.  The  Hackney  is  especially 
high  at  the  withers  ;  shoulders  strongly  slanted  ;  neck  well  crested,  and 
carrying  the  head  very  high  ;  back  short ;  legs  of  medium  length,  close 
knit ;  cannons  broad  and  flat ;  pasterns  shorter  than  with  Thorough- 
breds and  Trotters,  but  longer  than  with  draft  breeds  ;  feet  firm  and  of 
moderate  size  ;  forearm  especially  short,  giving  an  unusually  high  knee 
action,  and  quarters  well  muscled  and  compact. 

The  fashion  has  made  it  imperative  to  practice  "docking,"  which 
consists  in  shortening  the  tail  to  a  length  of  about  10  to  14  inches,  and 
cutting  the  cords  so  as  to  force  its  carriage  at  a  certain  angle.  The 
illustration  will  give  a  better  idea  of  the  appearance  of  the  tail  after  this 
operation  than  can  be  given  by  word  description. 

The  Hackney's  disposition  is  usually  kind,  and  his  speed  in  har- 
ness, while  by  no  means  comparing  with  that  of  the  trotting  horse,  is 
still  amply  sufficient  for  all  heavy  carriage  use.  The  Hackney  really 
approaches  closer  to  the  standard  of  the  Trotter  than  any  of  the  other 
carriage  breeds.  They  are  uniformly  hardy,  strongly  built,  have  an 
abundance  of  "style,"  and  the  best  specimens  can  be  relied  on  for 
endurance  at  long  distance. 

The  Hackney  has  become  the  English  gentleman's  favorite  horse, 
of-all-work — being  largely  used  for  park-riding  as  well  as  light  road 
driving  ;  and  in  our  eastern  cities,  where  the  tendency  is  so  often  to 
pattern  after  English  custom  and  style,  the  Hackney  finds  his  most  con. 
genial  American  home. 


Chapter  XII. 
THOROUGHBREDS. 

{Running  Horses.} 

We  have  thought  best  to  commence  this  chapter  by  a  brief  notice 
of  the  term  "  Thoroughbred, "  and  the  confusion  which  has  existed — 
indeed,  confusion  still  exists — regarding  its  use  in  America.  In  England, 
the  home  of  the  Thoroughbred,  the  term  is  naturally  well  understood. 
In  America  all  animals,  whether  horses,  cattle,  sheep  or  swine,  if  eligible 
to  entry  in  the  register  of  their  peculiar  breed,  are  spoken  of  as  "thor- 
oughbred," as,  for  example,  thoroughbred  Shorthorns,  thoroughbred 
Herefords,  thoroughbred  Southdowns,  thoroughbred  Berkshires,  and  so 
on  through  the  list  of  recognized  breeds  of  domestic  animals. 

The  term  "thoroughbred,"  as  thus  used,  is,  it  will  be  noted,  an 
adjective,  and  is  employed  merely  to  express  the  fact  that  such  an  animal 
is  eligible  to  entry  in  the  Herd  Book  or  Register  of  the  breed  to  which 
he  belongs.  It  is  convenient  and  expressive,  if  not  strictly  accurate, 
and,  as  it  will  doubtless  always  be  retained  by  American  stock  breeders, 
we  may  as  well  acquiesce  in  its  acceptance,  and  try  to  thoroughly  under- 
stand the  difference  between  its  use  as  an  adjective  and  as  a  noun.  It 
must  be  remembered  that  at  the  time  the  name  first  came  into  use  as  a 
synonym  for  the  English  race  horse,  it  did  so  by  reason  of  the  acknowl- 
edged purity  or  "thorough"  breeding  of  the  animal  in  question.  No 
horse  without  the  blood  of  some  celebrated  runner  of  the  English  turf, 
or  the  blood  of  the  Arabian,  Turk  or  Barb  in  his  pedigree,  could  at  that 
time  be  even  thought  of  as  a  horse  of  any  breeding  at  all.  The  race 
horse  was  the  especial  horse  of  the  nobility,  and  was  the  only  animal  at 
that  time  whose  ancestral  blood  was  known  and  recorded.  The  runner 
was  commonly  spoken  of  as  "  thoroughbred, ' '  and  the  word  has  naturally 
been  adopted  by  all  breeders  as  the  proper  name  of  the  breed  of  running 
or  racing  horses,  whose  origin  is  found  in  Oriental  blood  transmitted 
through  the  veins  of  the  early  English  race  horse. 

Let  us  understand,  then,  that  the  noun  "Thoroughbred"  is  simply 
the  name  of  a  breed  of  horses,  just  as  Cleveland  Bay  and  Percheron  are 
the  names,  respectively,  of  other  breeds  of  horses  ;  and  with  this  under- 
standing we  may  proceed  to  a  brief  review  of  the  origin  and  early  history 
of  the  breed. 

As  already  intimated,  the  English  Thoroughbred  is  the  undoubted 
scion  of  Eastern  blood — Turk,  Barb  and  Arabian — improved  and  perfected 

47 


48  THOROUGHBREDS. 

by  the  influence  of  skillful  handling  and  natural  conditions  peculiar  to 
English  soil  and  climate.  The  horses  now  generally  regarded  as  of  most 
value  among  the  early  invoices  of  Oriental  blood  may  be  named  as  fol- 
lows, in  order  of  their  importation  :  The  White  Turk,  owned  by  Mr. 
Place,  stud  groom  of  the  Lord  Protector  Cromwell ;  the  Byerly  Turk, 
owned  by  Captain  Byerly,  and  used  by  him  as  his  charger  in  the  wars  of 
William  in  Ireland,  about  1689  ;  the  Darley  Arabian,  owned  by  Mr. 
Darley,  of  Yorkshire  ;  and  last  in  point  of  time,  but  by  no  means  least 
in  the  number  and  great  excellence  of  his  descendants,  the  Godolphin 
Barb,  called  also  "Godolphin  Arabian,"  but  erroneously,  since  he  was 
universally  admitted  to  be  a  Barb. 

Many  other  noted  parents  of  racing  stock  might  be  named  as  illus- 
trating the  extent  to  which  the  blood  of  the  desert  has  been  used  in 
forming  the  modern  Thoroughbred,  but  space  forbids.  The  Darley 
Arabian,  bred  in  the  desert  of  Palmyra,  may  be  said  to  be  the  parent  of 
our  best  racing  stock.  From  Youatt,  in  reference  to  this  horse  and  his 
descendants,  we  quote  : 

"His  figure  contained  every  point,  without  much  show,  that  could  be  desired  in  a 
turf  horse.  The  immediate  descendants  of  this  invaluable  horse  were  the  Devonshire  or 
Flying  Childers  ;  the  Bleeding  or  Bartlett's  Childers,  who  was  never  trained  ;  Almanzor, 
and  others.  The  two  Childers  were  the  means  through  which  the  blood  and  fame  of 
their  sire  were  widely  circulated  ;  and  from  them  descended  another  Childers,  Blaze, 
Snap,  Sampson,  Eclipse,  and  a  host  of  excellent  horses.  The  Devonshire  or  Flying 
Childers,  so  called  from  the  name  of  his  breeder,  Mr.  Childers,  of  Carr  House,  and  the 
sale  of  him  to  the  Duke  of  Devonshire,  was  the  fleetest  horse  of  his  day." 

Probably  the  most  noted  of  the  descendants  of  Flying  Childers  was 
King  Herod,  the  founder  of  the  old  Herod  line  of  English  Thorough- 
breds. He  was  the  sire  of  497  winners,  who  gained  for  their  owners 
some  ^200,000. 

Of  Sampson  more  extended  mention  will  be  found  in  the  chapter 
on  American  Trotters.  His  reputed  and  recorded  sire  was  Blaze,  but 
his  actual  sire  has  been  commonly  supposed  to  be  of  heavier,  coarser 
extraction  ;  be  that  as  it  may,  in  the  horse  Sampson,  regardless  of  his 
pedigree,  was  combined  the  exact  elements  necessary  to  plant  the  germ 
of  the  trotting  instinct,  which  has  been  so  highly  developed  in  the  long 
list  of  trotting  horses  descended  from  his  great-grandson,  imported 
Messenger. 

Eclipse  was,  by  acknowledged  right,  the  most  wonderful  horse  ever 
produced  on  English  turf.  His  career  was  so  brilliant  both  on  the  turf 
and  in  the  stud,  and  his  exploits  so  remarkable,  that  the  following  quo- 
tation from  Prof.  Low's  great  work  may  prove  of  interest : 

"Eclipse  was  got  by  Marske,  a  grandson  of  Bartlett's  Childers,  out  of  Spiletta. 
He  was  foaled  in  the  year  1764,  during  the  eclipse  of  that  year,  from  which  circumstance 
he  took  his  name.  He  was  bred  by  the  Duke  of  Cumberland,  and  on  the  death  of  that 
prince  sold  to  Mr.  Wildman,  a  salesman  at  Smithfield,  and  afterwards  he  became  the 


THOROUGHBREDS.  4Q 

property  of  Mr.  O'Kelly.  Eclipse  had  not  the  grandeur  of  form  of  the  Flying  Childers, 
and  might  have  escaped  notice  but  for  the  accidental  trial  of  his  stupendous  powers.  He 
was  about  fifteen  hands  and  one  inch  high.  His  shoulders  were  very  low,  and  so  thick 
above  that,  according  to  the  observation  of  the  times,  a  firkin  of  butter  might  have  rested 
upon  them.  He  stood  very  high  behind,  a  compilation  suited  to  his  great  power  of  pro- 
gression ;  he  was  so  thick  winded  as  to  be  heard  blowing  at  considerable  distance.  In 
the  language  of  the  honest  John  Lawrence,  '  He  puffed  and  blowed  like  an  otter,  and 
galloped  as  wide  as  a  barn  door.'  No  sooner  were  his  powers  exhibited  on  the  turf,  than 
every  eye  was  set  to  scrutinize  his  form,  and  he  was  then  admitted  to  possess  in  perfection 
the  external  characters  indicative  of  great  speed.  A  volume  was  written  on  his  propor- 
tions by  M.  Saint  Bel,  a  veterinary  surgeon,  whose  investigations  showed  that  his  figure 
differed  greatly  from  the  conventional  form  which  speculative  writers  had  assigned  as  the 
standard  of  perfection.  He  was  of  an  indomitable  temper,  and  his  jockeys  found  it  in 
vain  to  attempt  to  hold  him,  but  contented  themselves  with  remaining  still  on  the  saddle 
while  he  swept  along,  his  nose  almost  touching  the  ground.  His  full  speed  was  not  deter- 
mined, since  he  never  met  with  an  opponent  sufficiently  fleet  to  put  it  to  the  proof.  He 
not  only  was  never  beaten,  but  he  was  able  to  distance  some  of  the  best  horses  of  his 
time,  and  the  fleetest  could  not  keep  by  his  side  for  fifty  yards  together.  This  remarkable 
horse  first  appeared  on  the  turf  at  the  age  of  five,  in  1769.  In  the  first  heat  he  set  off  of 
his  own  accord,  and  easily  gained  the  race,  his  rider  pulling  in  vain  with  all  his  force  for 
the  last  mile.  O'Kelly  observing  this,  and  aware  of  his  horse's  powers,  offered  in  the 
second  heat  to  place  the  horses,  and  he  took  heavy  bets  that  he  did  so.  When  called 
upon  to  declare,  he  said,  'Eclipse  first,  and  the  rest  no  place.'  He  gained  his  wagers; 
Eclipse  was  first,  and  all  the  others  were  distanced,  or,  in  the  language  of  the  turf,  had 
no  place.  From  this  time  Eclipse  was  continually  on  the  turf,  and  gained  every  race ; 
no  horse  daring  to  contend  with  him,  he  closed  his  career  of  17  months  by  walking  over 
the  Newmarket  Course  for  the  King's  Plate,  in  October,  1770.  During  this  brief  period, 
it  is  said  that  he  gained  £25,000  for  his  owner.  He  was  then  employed  with  prodigious 
profit"  as  a  stallion.  He  got  334  winners  at  our  numerous  race  courses,  who  are  com- 
puted to  have  gained  about  £160,000  to  their  owners,  besides  cups  and  plates.  He  died 
in  1789,  at  the  age  of  25." 

The  later  English  racers  have  been  horses  of  great  speed  and  "idur- 
ance — great  in  those  things  that  go  to  make  up  a  great  hors*. ;  but 
many  seem  to  think  that  the  modern  English  Thoroughbred  is  not  the 
equal  of  his  former  self.  Sharper  races,  more  of  them,  and  especially 
coming  at  an  earlier  age — very  frequently  at  the  age  of  two  or  three 
years — have,  it  is  claimed,  decreased  somewhat  the  stamina  and  wonder- 
ful endurance  found  in  the  earlier  horses  of  note. 

The  American  Thoroughbred  is,  of  course,  a  lineal  descendant  of 
the  parent  stock  (English)  ;  in  other  words,  all  American  horses  eligible 
to  entry  in  the  American  Stud  Book  for  Thoroughbred  Horses — -edited 
and  published  by  Col.  S.  D.  Bruce,  of  New  York — are  either  imported 
from  England,  or  are  the  descendants  of  horses  so  imported. 

In  the  United  States,  it  has  been  found  advisable  to  permit  a  certain 
relaxation  of  the  rigid  rules  adhered  to  in  the  English  Stud  Book,  and 
to  admit  animals  that  show  an  unmixed  descent  for  five  generations  of 
pure  blood.  This  necessarily  admits  animals  which  are  not  strictly 
Thoroughbred,  but  if  for  five  generations  nothing  but  Thoroughbred 
stallions  are  used,  the  resulting  animal  is  so  nearly  Thoroughbred  as  to 

4 


50  THOROUGHBREDS 

answer  all  requirements.  Indeed,  we  are  inclined  to  think  that  the 
American  system  of  breeding  and  recognized  rules  for  entry  have  done 
much  toward  making  the  American  Thoroughbred  the  successful  rival  of 
his  English  cousin,  which  he  has  proved  himself  to  be. 

Of  the  American  Thoroughbreds  which  have  earned  distinction  on 
the  turf,  we  may  mention  :  American  Eclipse,  by  Duroc,  out  of  Miller's 
Damsel,  by  Imp.  Messenger  ;  Lexington,  by  Boston,  out  of  Alice  Car- 
neal,  by  Imp.  Sarpedon  ;  Prioress,  by  Imp.  Sovereign,  out  of  Reel,  by 
Glencoe  ;  Leamington,  by  Faugh-a-Ballagh,  out  of  a  mare  by  Pantaloon  ; 
Springbok,  by  Australian,  out  of  Hester,  by  Lexington  ;  Nettie  Norton, 
by  Imp.  Leamington,  out  of  Long  Nine,  by  Lightning ;  Ten  Broeck,  by 
Imp.  Phaeton,  out  of  Fanny  Holton,  by  Lexington  ;  Tom  Ochiltree,  by 
Lexington,  out  of  Katona,  by  Voucher  ;  Parole,  by  Imp.  Leamington, 
out  of  Maiden,  by  Glencoe  ;  and  Iroquois,  by  Imp.  Leamington. 

Iroquois,  in  1881,  played  havoc  with  English  ideas  of  the  supremacy 
of  English  horses,  winning  both  the  English  Derby  and  the  St.  Leger 
against  the  pick  of  English  Thoroughbreds.  Concerning  his  victory  in 
the  St.  Leger,  Mr.  Curzon,  in  his  interesting  chronicle  of  the  Derby — 
"The  Blue  Ribbon  of  the  Turf" — after  telling  of  the  intense  but  fortu- 
nately futile  opposition  to  the  American  contestant,  says  : 

"  At  the  last  moment  the  betting  settled  down  and  Iroquois  started  for  the  St.  Leger 
as  first  favorite,  the  price  offered  being  2  to  i.  The  story  of  the  struggle  need  not  be 
retold.  An  exciting  race  between  Geologist  and  the  American  resulted  in  the  victory  of 
the  latter,  well  ridden  by  England's  greatest  jockey  [F.  Archer],  by  a  length.  The  win 
was  a  popular  one.  As  Iroquois  was  seen  to  have  the  race  in  hand,  the  excited  shouts  of 
100,000  persons  rent  the  air,  the  cheers  resounding  again  and  again  as  Archer  brought 
his  horse  into  the  enclosure.  All  present  seemed  highly  gratified  at  the  result  of  the  race 
and  the  defeat  of  those  birds  of  evil  omen  which  had  croaked  a  few  short  hours  before,  as 
if  the  disgrace  of  the  gallant  American  steed  was  a  certainty. 

"  Some  backers  of  the  colt  never  faltered  in  their  loyalty.  The  more  Iroquois  was 
decried,  and  his  chance  made  light  of,  all  the  readier  they  seemed  to  back  their  opinion 
with  their  money.  When  the  horse  was  seen  stripped  for  the  race,  all  men  who  could 
judge  saw  in  a  moment  that  he  was  as  fit  as  hands  could  render  him,  and  many  of  those 
who  had  hedged  their  money  at  a  loss,  because  of  the  evil  reports  which  had  been  so 
industriously  circulated,  would  have  been  glad  enough  to  have  again  backed  him  could 
they  have  the  opportunity  ;  but,  alas  !  it  was  too  late.  They  were  wedged  in  the  dense 
mass  of  people  who  filled  the  stand,  and  had  no  alternative  but  to  patiently  wait  and  see 
Iroquois  credit  Brother  Johnathan  with  his  first  St.  Leger. 

"During  all  that  took  place  the  quiet  confidence  of  Jacob  Pincus  [Iroquois'  trainer] 
never  faltered.  Some  persons  were  so  bold  as  to  suggest  that  he  might  have  been  bought 
by  the  "enemy, "but  Jacob  went  on  with  his  training  duties,  heeding  not  the  idle  rumors. 
And  who  will  say  that  his  reward  was  not  a  great  one,  as  he  proudly  led  the  steed  into 
the  paddock,  after  the  supreme  excitement  of  witnessing  the  race  had  been  endured." 

Among  the  later  celebrities  of  the  turf,  not  one,  perhaps,  has  stood 
higher  in  public  favor  than  the  Bard  (see  illustration),  a  bay  stallion, 
foaled  1883,  owned  by  A.  J.  Cassatt.  As  a  recognition  of  his  remarkable 
career  on  the  turf,  we  give  place  to  the  following  tabulated  pedigree  : 


THOROUGHBREDS. 


o 


o 

33 

O 

c 
o 

X 
CD 
30 


52  THOROUGHBREDS. 

Sir  Hercules. 


Faugh-a-Ballagh -j 


v  "  -  -o-  (   Guiccolli. 

Leamington Pantaloon. 

<   Daughter j   Daphne. 


Nantura. 


Brawner's  Eclipse | 


Queen  Mary j    Lady  Fortune 


American  Eclipse. 

Daughter. 

Bertrand. 


Q 
tt 

<J 

(   Boston. 
W        «    [   w      T^  |   Lexm8ton j   Alice  Carneal. 


War  Dance. 


(    Glencoe. 
Reel \   Gallopade. 

imp.  Knigh,  „.  S,.  George        .  j   ™£"«<'='«- 


Brenna 

Levity ]   Vandal's  Dam 


(    Imp.  Trustee. 


Concerning  the  race  for  Freehold  Stakes  at  Monmouth  Park,  N.  J., 
August  2d,  1888,  in  which  the  Bard  suffered  defeat  for  the  first  time, 
the  Turf,  Field  and  Farm,  of  New  York  (issue  August  loth,  1888),  says  : 

"  Since  our  last  issue,  sudden  checks  have  been  given  to  the  victorious  careers  of 
several  public  idols.  The  Bard  has  succumbed  to  Firenzi,  Raceland  lowered  his  colors  to 
Badge,  Kingston  and  Terra  Cotta  suffered  defeat  by  Elkwood,  Little  Minch  was  out-speeded 
by  Yum-Yum,  and  even  in  England,  the  crack  two-year-old  Donovan  has  met  with  a 
reverse.  But  the  case  of  the  Bard  is  the  most  serious  of  all,  for  not  only  has  he  been 
beaten  after  winning  seven  straight  stakes,  but,  in  all  probability,  he  has  appeared  for 
the  last  time  in  public. 

"The  race  in  which  he  met  with  his  mishap  was  the  Freehold,  at  Monmouth,  on 
Thursday  of  last  week.  Firenzi  was  his  only  opponent.  The  Bard  made  the  running, 
setting  a  fast  pace,  but  at  no  time  did  Garrison  permit  the  filly  to  be  more  than  three 
lengths  behind.  He  closed  in  the  stretch,  forced  Hay  ward  to  the  whip  at  the  last  six- 
teenth pole,  and  then  coming  away,  won  by  two  lengths  in  2:34,  which  equals  the  record, 
Luke  Blackburn  having  made  the  same  time  at  Monmouth  as  a  three-year-old  on  August 
i7th,  1880,  with  102  pounds  up,  and  Jim  Guest,  when  four  years  old,  and  carrying  98 
pounds,  having  made  a  like  record  at  Washington  Park.  Chicago,  July  24th,  1886.  The 
first  quarter  was  run  in  0:27,  the  half  in  0:52,  the  three-quarters  in  1:18,  the  mile  in 
1:42^2,  and  the  mile  and  a  quarter  in  2:08^.  It  was  a  splendid  performance  for  both. 

"  While  The  Bard  did  not  pull  up  lame,  as  far  as  could  be  noticed  at  the  close 
of  the  race,  it  was  but  a  short  time  before  he  began  to  favor  his  off  hind  leg,  which  began 
to  swell.  Dr.  Shepherd  was  called  to  examine  the  horse,  but  inflammation  was  so  great,  the 
swelling  being  midway  between  the  hock  and  fetlock  joint,  that  it  was  impossible  to  diag- 
nose the  case,  and  the  extent  of  the  injury  had  not  been  definitely  determined  on  Tuesday 
last,  although  it  was  generally  deemed  to  be  permanent.  After  the  race,  Hayward  said 
that  for  the  first  time  this  season,  The  Bard  had  not  tried  to  get  away  from  him  when  he 
had  mounted,  not  taking  hold  of  the  bit  in  his  accustomed  style.  Like  his  illustrious  sire, 
he  has  gone  down  in  battle,  covered  with  glory,  both  finishing  their  races  in  the  gamest 
manner  on  three  legs.  That  there  would  have  been  a  still  greater  contest  and  in  faster 
time  had  The  Bard  been  right,  there  is  no  question  in  our  mind,  for  we  have  long  been  of 
the  opinion  that,  under  favorable  conditions,  he  could  lower  almost  any  record." 

The  Emperor  of  Norfolk  (see  illustration  from  sketch  immediately 
after  winning  the  American  Derby)  is  another  one  of  the  successful  win- 
ners of  1888.  At  Chicago,  June  23rd,  he  won  the  American  Derby, 


THOROUGHBREDS 


54 


THOROUGHBREDS. 


netting  in  this  one  race  $14,590,  and  making  a  total  amount  thus  far 
won  for  his  owner  of  $28,530,  said  to  the  largest  winnings  credited  to 
any  living  horse.  There  is  a  little  "cold"  blood  in  the  remote  pedigree 
of  the  Emperor,  coming  through  the  Potomac  mare — dam  of  Betsy  Ma- 
lone — but  it  is  so  far  back  that  it  affects  neither  his  speed  nor  his  breed- 
ing value.  His  abridged  pedigree  may  be  given  as  follows  : 


{Timoleon  

(  Saltram  Mare. 

1 

'    60 

.2< 

S 

Sister  to  Tuckahoe 
/  Imp.  Sarpedon.  .  .  . 

j  Ball's  Florizel. 
i  Alderman  Mare. 
j  Emilius. 

r.,j    ^ 

Alice  Carneal  < 

|  Icaria. 

(  Rowena  

j  Sumpter. 

h  < 
a: 
O 

{Sultan  

{  Lady  Gray. 
j  Selim. 

W       55 

V-) 

' 

{  Bacchante. 

O              aJ 

Trampoline  

j  Tramp. 

fe     11 

n             1 

i  Rodolph  

j  Web. 
j  Sir  Archy  Montorio. 

O              * 

>jr 

*  Chloe  Anderson  -I 

(  Daughter  of  Hoxall's  Moses. 

^< 

O 

/  Belle  Anderson  .  .  .  . 
i  lago  . 

j  Sir  William. 
"j  Butterfly. 
\  Don  John. 

0             £'| 

'Imp.  Bonnie  Scotland.  -| 
(  Queen  Mary    

\  Scandal. 
j  Gladiator. 

u            >  Q 

s    Hn 

£      §l 

i  Imp.  Monarch  
s  Lady  Lancaster  •< 

(  Daughter  of  Plenipotentiary. 
j  Priam. 
(  Delphine. 

2  ^ 

w      5. 
< 

S      _; 

f  Lady  Canton  
i  St.  Nicholas  

j  Imp.  Tranby. 
\  Mary  Randolph. 

j  Emilius. 

ID 

'  Imp   Yorkshire  -t 

(  Sean^ew. 

I 

(  Moss  Rose  

j  Tramp. 

1 

.2 

g£l 

/  Imp.  Glencoe  
•  Charmer    < 

I  Sandro  Mare. 
(  Sultan. 
\  Trampoline, 

aj 
§ 

(  Betsy  Malone  .:.... 

j  Stockholder. 
I  Potomac  Mare. 

The  Chicago  Horseman,  in  a  notice  of  the  Emperor,  says  : 

' '  He  is  a  grandly  proportioned  horse,  and  is  so  constructed  that  he  can  carry  all  the 
penalties  that  are  piled  upon  him  without  materially  interfering  with  his  speed.  He  has 
defeated  all  the  best  three-year-olds  of  the  year  so  easily  that  it  is  impossible  to  accurately 
gauge  his  powers.  Should  he  meet  The  Bard  at  weight  for  age,  we  shall  expect  to  see  a 
grand  struggle,  and  one  which  will  be  fully  described  in  the  annals  of  the  turf.  Both  in  his 
two  and  three-year-old  career,  he  has  proved  himself  to  be  a  race-horse  of  the  very  highest 
quality,  and  one  of  those  exceptionally  great  horses  which  only  appear  once  in  a  decade. 

' '  The  Emperor  of  Norfolk  was  bred  by  Theodore  Winters.  He  was  foaled  on  Jan- 
uary 12,  1885,  and  was  purchased  at  the  Winters  sale  on  December  20,  1886,  by  E.  J. 
Baldwin  for  $2,550.  He  is  by  that  mighty  son  of  Lexington,  Norfolk,  out  of  Marian  by 
Malcolm.  In  the  veins  of  the  Emperor  flows  the  rich  red  tide  which  came  from  those 
grand  fountains  of  speed — Lexington,  Glencoe,  Bonnie  Scotland  and  Yorkshire.  When 
as  a  racing  star  of  the  first  magnitude  the  Emperor  has  run  his  allotted  course,  his  splen- 
did individuality,  grand  speed  powers  and  patrician  lineage  will  combine  to  enthrone  him 
as  the  first  lord  of  the  harem." 


'I  HOROUHBRKDS. 


55 


o 

73 
O 


3.8 


I- 

r  m 


03 


56  THOROUGHBREDS. 

One  of  the  best  of  the  winners  of  1892  is  the  chestnut  colt  Tam- 
many, son  of  Iroquois  and  Tullahoma,  whose  likeness  we  present  through 
the  courtesy  of  Turf,  Field  and  Farm,  New  York.  Tammany  was  bred 
by  General  W.  H.  Jackson,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  was  foaled  March  23, 
1889.  He  was  purchased  as  a  yearling  by  Mr.  Marcus  Daly  for  $2,500, 
and  as  he  has  already  credited  back  to  his  owner,  in  stake  earnings  alone, 
something  over  $100,000,  the  price  paid  can  hardly  be  considered  a 
high  one.  Tammany's  best  victory  was  won  from  Yorkville  Belle  in  the 
rich  Jerome  stakes  at  Morris  Park,  Saturday  October,  8,  1892,  concerning 
which  the  Turf,  Field  and  Farm,  issue  of  October  14,  1892,  says: 

"Although  the  race  had  five  other  starters,  scarcely  a  person  cared  to  invest  on  any 
one  of  them,  and  40  to  i  bar  two  was  freely  offered.  At  the  start  Silver  Fox  and  Julian 
started  out  to  make  the  running,  each  for  his  stable  companion,  and  so  well  did  they  per- 
form their  mission  that  they  were  soon  many  lengths  in  advance  of  their  field,  while  York- 
ville Belle  was  lying  fifth  and  Tammany  yet  further  behind  ;  this  was  about  the  order 
until  three-eights  from  home,  when  Yorkville  Belle  went  to  the  front,  but  no  sooner  did 
she  make  this  move  than  Garrison  was  after  her  with  Tammany,  and  the  two  raced  to- 
gether until  within  a  sixteenth  of  home  when  Tammany  with  a  little  shaking  up,  drew 
away  and  won  by  a  good  length." 

As  a  fitting  refutation  of  the  absurd  theory  of  degeneration  among 
Thoroughbreds,  and  as  expressing  at  the  same  time  the  improvement 
of  the  running  course  and  nearer  approach  to  perfection  in  the  trainer's 
art,  we  give  herewith  a  brief  statement  showing  the  running  records  at 
the  close  of  the  racing  season  of  1892,  with  name  of  horse,  age,  weight 
carried,  record  and  time  at  which  made,  for  each  of  the  main  divisions 
of  distance  from  one-half  to  four  miles  : 

One-half  mile,  0:46,  Geraldine  (4),  122  Ibs.,  made  August  30,  1889. 

Three-fourths  mile,  1:10^,  Fides  (4),  116  Ibs.,  made  May  31,  1890 

One  mile,  i:35/^,  Salvator  (4),  no  Ibs.,  made  August  28,  1890.  The  world's  mile 
lunning  race  record  is  1:37^,  and  's  held  by  the  Rancocas  filly  Kildeer,  made  August  13, 
1892. 

One  and  one-eighth  miles,  1:51!^,  Tristan  (6),  114  Ibs.,  made  June  2,  1891. 

One  and  one-fourth  miles,  2:03^,  Banquet  (3),  108  Ibs.,  made  July  17,  1890. 

One  and  one-half  miles,  2:32^,  Lamplighter  (3),  109  Ibs.,  made  August  9,  1892, 
This  distance  had  been  previously  covered  by  Firenzi  as  a  six-year-old,  and  carrying  117 
Ibs.,  in  exactly  2:33. 

Two  miles,  3:27^,  Ten  Broeck  (5),  no  Ibs.,  made  May  29.  1877. 

Three  miles,  5:24,  Drake  Carter  (4),  115  Ibs.,  made  September  6,  1884. 

Four  miles,  7:15,^,  Ten  Broeck  (4),  104  Ibs.,  made  September  27,  1876.  The  four 
mile  running  race  record  is  7:19^,  held  by  Fellowcraft,  who  covered  the  distance  as  a 
four-year-old,  carrying  108  Ibs  ,  on  August  20,  1874. 

The  Coney  Island  Jockey  Club  this  year  (1892)  offered  a  purse  for 
a  four  mile  race,  and  it  was  won  by  Demuth  from  Tea  Tray  in  7:20,  but 
one-half  second  slower  than  the  race  record  of  Fellowcraft,  and  this,  too, 
without  any  attempt  at,  or  idea  of,  lowering  a  record.  It  is  fairly  prob- 
able that  almost  any  one  of  the  best  performers  of  1892,  if  fitted  for  the 
four  mile  distance,  could  lower  the  record  made  in  1874,  and  some  of 
them  at  least,  could  approximate,  if  not  defeat,  the  time  record  of  Ten 


THOROUGHBREDS.  57 

Broeck,  which  has  stood  unchallenged  since  1879.  Drake  Carter's  grand- 
dam  is  by  Lexington,  and  is  a  half-sister  to  Fellowcraft,  who  ran  four 
miles  in  7:19^,  while  Demuth's  sire,  Ten  Broeck,  is  out  of  Fanny  Holton 
by  Lexington — his  dam  being  by  Longfellow,  a  son  of  imported  Leaming- 
ington,-  and  a  half-brother  to  Fanny  Holton — dam  of  Ten  Broeck. 

Ten  Broeck's  mile  record  of  1:39^,  made  against  time,  May  24,  1877, 
was  the  first  time  record  at  that  distance,  and  stood  untouched  until  1890, 
when  first  lowered  by  Senator  Stanford's  Racine  to  1:39^.  Racine's 
record  was  made  as  a  three-year-old,  carrying  107  Ibs.  in  a  race,  and  on 
a  regulation  track,  Washington  Park,  Chicago,  June  28,  1890.  August 
28th  the  same  year  Salvator  set  the  mark  so  low  (1:35^)  that  it  will 
likely  remain  for  some  time.  It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that 
Salvator's  great  mile  was  made  against  time  and  over  the  straight  course 
at  Monmouth  Park.  Since  Racine  first  lowered  Ten  Broeck's  mile  rec- 
ord it  has  been  beaten  not  only  by  Salvator  as  above  noted,  but  by 
Raveloe,  1:39^,  July  31,  1890;  La  Tosca,  1:39^,  1891;  Kirsch,  1:38, 
August  4,  1892,  and  Kildeer,  1:37^,  in  a  race  August  13,  1892. 

While  no  two  famous  winners  have  ever  been  exactly  alike  in  con- 
formation, there  are  yet  many  points  of  similarity,  and  we  have  thought 
best  to  give  the  following  short 

DESCRIPTION      OF    A    TYPICAL     THOROUGHBRED. 

The  head  is  fine  ;  neck  slender  but  well  set  on  at  the  shoulders  ;  chest 
deep,  wide  and  bounded  by  shoulders  long  and  slanting  ;  hind  quarters 
high  and  well  muscled  ;  legs  flat,  with  short  cannons,  long,  elastic  pas- 
terns, and  rounded,  well-made  feet.  Not  a  pound  of  surplus  fat  is  car- 
ried when  in  racing  trim  ;  the  cords  and  muscles  stand  out  clearly,  and 
play  in  action  like  the  sensitive  strings  of  some  delicate  instrument. 
The  Racer  is  essentially  nervous  in  temperament  ;  many  have  been  made 
vicious  by  careless  handling,  and  not  a  few  have  failed  to  show  extreme 
speed  on  the  turf  because  of  failure  to  understand  and  appreciate  their 
nerve  peculiarities. 

Many  regard  the  Thoroughbred  as  a  mere  fancy  animal — the  espe- 
cial horse  of  the  sporting  fraternity — but  we  do  not  agree  with  such  ex- 
pression. His  indomitable  will  and  wonderful  endurance,  combined 
with  his  beauty  of  form  and  usually  good  size,  make  him  a  horse  of  much 
value  to  use  on  native  mares  of  mixed  breeding,  and  the  colts  thus  pro- 
duced are  among  our  most  stylish  saddle  and  harness  horses.  The  South 
has  always  been  rich  in  the  blood  of  the  Thoroughbred;  and  since  there 
has  been  little  call  for  horses  of  the  heavier  breeds  until  recent  times, 
mules  being  employed  almost  exclusively  for  heavy  draft  and  farm  work, 
the  Racer  has  served  a  most  valuable  purpose.  As  heavier  stallions  are 
now  being  introduced  extensively,  we  shall  find  the  mares  of  racing  stock 
a  valuable  foundation  for  producing  an  excellent  general  purpose  horse. 


Chapter   XIII. 


AMERICAN   SADDLE  HORSES. 

The  saddle  horse  is  a  modern  production — based  on  a  growing  de- 
mand for  something  not  only  handsome,  but  comfortable  as  well,  for 
saddle  use.  The  English  style  of  riding,  as  aped  by  "riding  masters" 
in  the  eastern  cities,  is  so  essentially  uncomfortable  and  really  inelegant 
as  to  seem  ridiculous  to  any  one  who  knows  what  a  good  saddle  animal 
is.  The  trot,  of  all  gaits,  is  the  one  least  suited  to  ease  and  elegance  in 
the  saddle,  and  the  bent-knee,  sit-down-on-a-tack-and-jump-up-again 
action  of  the  would-be  stylish,  short-stirrup  rider  of  the  park  hack  should 
be  very  stylish,  indeed,  to  compensate  for  the  utter  absence  of  all  things 
elegant. 

The  American  Saddle  Horse  is  now  recognized  among  the  newly 
formed  breeds.  The  National  Saddle  Horse  Breeders'  Association  was 
organized  in  June,  1891,  and  under  the  guidance  of  Secretary  I.  B.  Nail, 
Louisville,  Ky. ,  has  already  issued  Vol.  I.  of  the  Stud  Book.  Rules  for 
entry  to  the  second  volume  are  as  follows  : 

"i.     Stallions  that  trace  on  either  sire's  or  dam's  side  direct  to  foundation,  regis-. 
tered  stock,  or  to  stock  eligible  to  registry,  and  go  the  following  gaits  :     (i)  walk,  (2)  trot, 
(3)  rack,  (4)  canter,  (5)  running  walk,  fox  trot  or  slow  pace.     Mares  or  geldings  that  go 
the  gaits  specified  above. 

"2.  Any  stallion  whose  sire,  grand  sire,  dam  and  grand  dam  are  of  strains  of  blood 
recognized  by  this  association. 

"  3.     Any  stallion  that  has  sired  five  or  more  performers  under  rule  i. 

"4.     Any  mare  that  has  produced  two  or  more  performers  under  rule  i. 

"  5.     Progeny  of  a  standard  horse  out  of  a  standard  mare. 

"6.  The  female  progeny  of  a  standard  horse,  when  out  of  a  mare  by  a  standard 
horse." 

The  origin  of  the  Saddler  is,  of  course,  found  in  Thoroughbred 
blood,  supplemented  by  the  blood  of  easy  pacers  which  have  proved 
potent  in  imparting  saddle  gaits.  As  stated  by  Secretary  Nail,  the 
association  recognizes  as  "foundation  stock,"  under  rules  above,  the 
following  individual  sources  of  saddle  blood  : 

Denmark,  Thoroughbred,  by  Imp.  Hedgeford ;  Brinker's  Drennon, 
by  Davy  Crockett ;  Sam  Booker,  by  Boyd  McNary,  Thoroughbred ; 
John  Dillard,  by  Indian  Chief;  Tom  Hal,  imp.  from  Canada;  Coleman's 
Eureka;  Vanmeter's  Waxy;  Cabell's  Lexington,  by  Blood's  Black 
Hawk;  .Copperbottom,  pacer;  Stump-the-Dealer;  Texas,  by  Comanche: 
Prince  Albert,  by  Frank  Wolford  ;  Peter's  Halcorn,  and  Varnon's  Roe- 
buck, a  Missouri  horse. 

58 


AMERICAN     SADDLE     HORSES. 


59 


60  AMERICAN'    SADDLE    HORSES. 

The  gaits  recognized  by  the  association,  as  stated  in  rule  i,  are 
walk,  trot,  rack,  canter,  running  walk,  fox  trot  and  slow  pace.  Of  these 
gaits,  the  running  walk — more  commonly  known  as  the  "single-foot" — 
is  by  odds  the  most  elegant  saddle  gait,  combining  the  style  and  speed 
of  the  trot  and  rack,  or  pace,  with  the  comfort  and  stability  in  the  saddle 
of  the  easiest  "lope"  or  canter.  In  the  southern  portion  of  the  United 
States,  and  especially  in  Texas,  are  the  finest  single-footing  saddlers  of 
the  world;  and  a  goodly  percentage  of  the  number  are  able  to  go  a 
better  than  three-minute  rate.  The  fox  trot  is  as  easy,  but  has  not  the 
style  or  speed  of  the  fleeter  single-foot.  The  fox  trot,  the  slow  pace  and 
the  fast  walk  will  always  remain  the  standard  long-distance  gaits  of  the 
educated  saddler,  making  five  to  seven  miles  per  hour,  and  doing  it 
with  ease  to  both  horse  and  rider. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

In  appearance  the  typical  Saddler  is  a  combination  of  Thoroughbred 
and  Trotter,  having  the  size,  gameness,  and  easy,  clean-going  action  of 
the  former,  with  the  quiet,  intelligent  appreciation  of  education  at  the 
trainer's  hands,  which  we  find  so  marked  among  the  Trotters.  All  colors 
are  found — bays,  browns,  blacks,  chestnuts  and  grays,  about  in  the  order 
named.  Stallions  weigh  from  1,000  to  1,200  pounds,  mares  proportion- 
ately less.  The  head  is  fine  ;  neck  slender,  but  well  arched  and  muscular; 
shoulders  and  girth  deep  and  ample  ;  back  short ;  rump  close  and  gener- 
ally sloping  ;  quarters  long  and  well  muscled,  and  legs  fine-boned,  neat, 
close-fleshed,  and  without  feather. 

Our  illustration  represents  one  of  the  most  noted  of  modern  Ameri- 
can saddle  stallions. 


Chapter   XIV. 


AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 

While  not  yet  recognized  as  a  separate  breed,  the  American  Trotter  is 
fast  approaching  that  distinction,  and  the  long  lines  of  fast  moving  off- 
spring from  the  famous  stallions  that  founded  the  several  strains  of  mod- 
ern Trotters  point  unmistakably  to  that  constant  transmission  of  char- 
acteristic qualities  which  alone  determines  a  breed. 

ORIGIN    AND    IMPROVEMENT  . 

The  history  of  the  origin  and  improvement  of  American  Trotters 
furnishes  one  of  the  most,  if  not  the  most,  remarkable  examples  of  hu- 
man skill  in  developing  and  training  to  desired  lines  qualities  which 
before  had  remained  partially  developed  or  entirely  latent.  The  courage 
and  stamina  of  the  Trotting  Horse,  in  brief,  are  found  in  the  use  of 
oriental  blood  in  and  through  the  royal  blood  of  the  Thoroughbred;  but* 
to  those  remarkable  individual  animals  hereinafter  mentioned — in  which 
the  trotting  gait  seems  to  have  been  a  spontaneous  development  of  the 
trotting  instinct  combined  with  the  energy  and  speed  of  the  Racer — 
belongs  the  credit  for  his  immediate  origin. 

Among  the  horses  which  may  be  thus  considered  original  sources  of 
trotting  blood,  and  first  in  the  list,  by  acknowledged  right,  stands 

IMPORTED    MESSENGER, 

himself  a  Thoroughbred,  and  embracing  some  of  the  choicest  blood  of 
the  desert  in  his  make-up,  as  will  be  seen  by  a  simple  statement  of  his 
paternal  ancestry:  Imported  Messenger  was  a  gray  horse,  foaled  in  1780; 
imported  to  United  States  in  1788,  and  died  on  Long  Island  in  1808. 
His  first  sire  was  Mambrino,  second  sire  Engineer,  third  sire  Sampson, 
fourth  sire  Blaze  (?),  fifth  sire  Flying  Childers,  sixth  sire  Darley  Ara- 
bian. His  dam  was  sired  by  Turf,  by  Matchem,  by  Cade  (who  was  a  so4i 
of  Godolphin  Arabian),  and  his  second  dam  was  by  Regulus,  also  a  son 
of  Godolphin  Arabian.  His  great  grandsire,  Sampson,  was  a  black  horse 
out  of  all  keeping  with  the  ideal  Thoroughbred  in  appearance,  being 
large,  coarse  and  heavy  boned,  but  with  a  wonderful  power  of  speed  and 
bottom.  Sampson's  reputed  and  recorded  sire  was  Blaze,  a  bay  Thor- 
oughbred, but  his  conformation  and  the  inclination  to  trot  which  he 
transmitted  to  his  offspring  have  led  students  of  equine  history  to  doubt 
the  record  of  his  paternity,  and  assert  that  his  dam  was  covered  by  a 
coach  horse.  If  this  were  true — and  it  seems  at  least  reasonable — it  was 

61 


62  AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 

i 

the  most  fortunate  accident  that  could  have  occurred,  since  it  furnished 
the  exact  combination  to  insure  a  change  of  gait  and  still  retain  the  fire 
and  instinctive  speed  of  the  Racer. 

The  peculiar  conformation  of  Imported  Messenger — low,  round,  al- 
most flat  withers — has  been  faithfully  handed  down  to  his  lineal  descend- 
ants ;  and  it  is  a  matter  of  common  note,  that  all  true  Messenger-bred 
Trotters  have  always  enjoyed  a  remarkable  freedom  from  all  kinds  of 
foot,  leg  and  bone  diseases.  Messenger  blood  is  found  in  nearly  every 
family  of  American  Trotters  ;  and  through  his  great  grandson,  Rysdyk's 
Hambletonian,  we  have  a  family  pre-eminent  above  all  others  in  steady 
reproduction  of  the  trotting  gait,  through  a  long  line  of  noted  descend- 
ants, of  which  we  shall  write  later. 

Another  original  source  of  trotting  blood  was  found  in 

IMPORTED    BELLFOUNDER, 

a  blood  bay,  with  white  diamond  on  nose,  and  white  left  hind  foot.  His 
breeding  has  always  been  a  matter  of  question,  but  by  the  best  evidence 
obtainable  his  pedigree  is  as  follows  :  Sire,  Old  Bellfounder,  out  of  Ve- 
tlocity  by  Haphazard,  by  Sir  Peter,  out  of  Miss  Hervey  by  Eclipse. 
Grand  dam  of  good  blood  but  not  Thorougbred.  This  stamps  him  as  a 
true  descendant  of  the  Fireaways — a  strain  which  has  never  been  ex- 
celled for  the  saddle.  Bellfounder,  the  "  Norfolk  Trotter,"  was  foaled 
about  1815,  imported  to  America  in  1822,  and  died  on  Long  Island  in 
1843.  He  was  a  natural  trotter,  of  remarkable  honesty,  and  his  truest 
descendants  have  since  been  known  as  "field  trotters,"  showing  their 
best  speed  when  free  from  all  restraint  of  reins.  The  peculiar  value  of 
the  Bellfounder  blood  is  found,  like  that  of  Duroc,  in  its  happy  combi- 
nation with  the  blood  of  Messenger. 

.        DUROC 

was  not  an  imported  horse,  but  was  foaled  (1806)  and  bred  in  Virginia. 
He  was  a  chestnut  in  color,  of  remarkable  frame  and  muscle,  got  by  im- 
ported Diomed — a  small  chestnut  horse,  winner  of  the  first  English 
Derby — and  from  him  (Diomed)  he  derived  many  serious  blood  defects 
— such  as  a  tendency  to  foot  and  leg  troubles,  as  well  as  those  high  qual- 
ities of  nerve  and  spirit  which  are  found  in  all  of  Diomed's  descendants. 
On  his  dam's  side  he  traces  to  imported  Medley,  a  gray  by  Gimcrack, 
also  a  gray,  and  from  this  quarter  comes  the  peculiar  conformation  of 
his  descendants — wide  hips,  long  powerful  thighs,  and  hocks  placed  low 
down  over  short  hind  cannons — which  is  always  accompanied  by  an  open, 
loose  "straddling"  action,  by  many  regarded  a  sure  indication  of  trotting 
promise.  As  already  noted,  his  greatest  value  was  found  in  combination 
with  Messenger  blood,  and  in  such  horses  as  Alhambra,  Messenger-Du- 
roc  and  American  Star  was  found  its  happiest  combination. 


AMERICAN    TR6TTERS.  63 

ST.    LAWRENCE 

must  not  be  omitted  in  our  mention  of  the  early  sources  of  trotting  blood. 
He  was  a  small,  bay,  Canada-bred  horse,  standing  about  15^  hands  ; 
was  foaled  about  1841,  brought  over  to  New  York  about  1848,  and  died 
in  Michigan  1858.  His  breeding  is  not  known,  but  he  was  a  trotter  and 
a  sire  of  trotters.  The  peculiar  motion  which  proclaims  St.  Lawrence 
blood  is  seen  among  all  of  his  descendants  :  The  hind  quarters  gently 
swing  from  side  to  side,  as  the  hind  feet  successively  advance,  trotting 
with  an  even  but  rolling  and  far-reaching  action,  that  gives  an  idea  of 
.almost  irresistible  power  and  momentum. 

In  this  connection  we  quote  the  opinion  of  Mr.  H.  T.  Helm — an 
acknowledged  authority  in  matters  concerning  trotting  stock — as  given 
in  his  valuable  work  on  "American  Roadsters  and  Trotting  Horses": 

"  The  fact  has  become  so  clear  that  in  some  parts  of  our  country  the  Messenger 
blood  has  been  bred  too  closely,  and  the  need  of  a  suitable  out-cross  of  high  trotting 
quality  having  become  apparent  in  many  instances,  such  a  blood  as  that  of  St.  Lawrence 
affords,  for  all  such,  one  of  the  most  valuable  strains  with  which  to  inter-breed.  Many 
valuable  mares  now  exist  that  are  so  closely  and  strongly  in-bred  in  the  Messenger  blood 
that  their  value  as  breeding  stock  mainly  depends  on  the  obtaining  of  a  suitable  out-cross 
to  invigorate  the  blood,  and  maintain  the  trotting  excellence  for  which  it  has  been  noted. 
For  all  such  the  male  descendants  of  St.  Lawrence  will  afford  the  desired  cross,  and  the 
union  will  in  all  probability  result,  as  did  that  of  Beilfounder  in  the  Hambletonian,  in 
the  further  advancement  of  the  American  Trotter." 

Next  on  the  list  comes  the  Canadian  pacer, 

PILOT. 

His  breeding,  like  that  of  St.  Lawrence,  is  not  known,  except  that  his 
ancestry  came  originally  from  France  to  Acadia,  and  thence  to  Canada, 
forming  a  class  of  tough  and  valuable  horses,  since  known  as  French 
Canadians,  or  Kanucks.  He  was  foaled  about  1826,  but  was  first  known 
at  New  Orleans,  1832,  when  he  was  said  to  be  six  years  old,  and  was 
purchased  of  a  peddler  for  $1,000;  he  died  in  Kentucky  in  1855.  Pilot, 
in  brief,  was  a  black  stallion,  standing  less  than  15  hands,  with  short 
neck,  rather  thick  and  heavy  about  the  throat ;  a  long,  coarse  mane, 
showing  the  handsome,  wavy  curl  which  characterizes  the  French  Cana- 
dian wherever  found;  a  close-knit,  muscular  body;  a  sloping  rump ;  a 
heavy  tail  of  same  quality  as  mane,  and  long  quarters,  with  hocks  placed 
low  down.  His  whole  make-up  was  one  of  utility,  and  his  descendants 
— chiefly  through  the  blood  of  his  greatest  son,  Pilot  Jr.,  combined  with 
the  blood  of  established  trotting  strains — have  among  them  the  fastest 
trotters  in  the  world. 

The  dam  of  Maud  S. — 2:08^ — the  fastest  trotter  known  before  the 
advent  of  the  kite  track  and  the  bicycle  sulky,  was  by  Pilot  Jr.,  as  was 
also  the  dam  of  the  famous  gelding  Jay  Eye  See — 2:10 — whose  1892 
pacing  record  of  2:06^  makes  him  the  fastest  double-gaited  horse  in 


64  AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 

the  world.  True,  these  famous  movers  are  descended  on  the  other  side 
in  direct  line  from  Hambletonian,  but  this  fact  does  not  detract  from  the 
great  value  of  the  Pilot  blood  when  used  in  such  mighty  combination. 

GRAND    BASHAW, 

a  Barb  of  the  purest  lineage,  was  imported  from  Tripoli  in  1820,  and 
died  in  Pennsylvania  in  1845.  His  color  was  black,  with  small  white 
star,  and  he  was  said  to  be  of  very  great  beauty.  In  1821  he  produced 
Young  Bashaw — from  Pearl,  by  Bond's  First  Consul,  out  of  a  mare  by 
Imp.  Messenger — and  through  this  son  has  come  the  credit  to  Grand 
Bashaw  as  an  original  source  of  trotting  blood.  In  view  of  the  fact  that 
the  grand  dam  of  Young  Bashaw  was  by  Imp.  Messenger,  and  the  further 
fact  that  Young  Bashaw  was  a  coarse-looking  gray  horse,  in  many  re- 
spects resembling  the  Messenger  strain,  it  has  been  claimed  that  the 
Bashaws  and  their  noted  descendants — the  Clays — are  really  nothing  but 
branches  of  the  great  Messenger  stem,  and  that,  therefore,  the  claims  of 
Grand  Bashaw  are  naught,  and  his  name,  assumed  by  the  family,  an 
usurpation  of  Messenger  right. 

In  part,  at  least,  this  may  be  considered  sound  reasoning  ;  but  we 
think  it  more  just  to  admit  that  the  blood  of  the  imperial  Barb,  Grand 
Bashaw,  was  the  one  element  needed  in  combination  to  develop  the 
strain  of  trotters  that  bears  his  name. 

Last  on  the  list,  but  by  no  means  least  in  importance,  stands  old 

JUSTIN     MORGAN, 

a  clear,  bright  bay,  foaled  in  1793  near  Springfield,  Mass.;  died  near 
Chelsea,  Vt.,  in  1821.  His  parentage  cannot  be  definitely  ascertained, 
but  from  the  best  circumstantial  evidence  it  would  appear  that  his  sire 
was  a  horse  called  True  Briton,  or  Beautiful  Bay,  and  in  all  probability 
a  Thoroughbred.  His  dam  was  said  to  be  "of  the  "Wildair"  breed,  and 
to  have  a  share,  be  it  more  or  less,  of  the  blood  of  the  Lindsey  Arabian 
in  her  veins.  There  is  some  reason,  also,  for  the  belief  in  certain  quar- 
ters that  he  had  a  trace  of  Canadian  blood  in  his  make-up  ;  although 
the  remarkable  impressiveness  of  Morgan  and  his  descendants  in  matters 
of  color,  form,  gait  and  disposition  mark  a  predominance  of  Oriental, 
rather  than  Canadian  blood.  Justin  Morgan  left  several  sons,  only  three 
of  which  occupy  places  of  any  real  importance — Bulrush,  Woodburyand 
Sherman.  Through  Sherman — the  best  of  the  three  sons  of  old  Morgan 
— we  have  Vermont  Black  Hawk,  and,  passing  down  the  list,  General 
Knox,  Ethan  Allen  and  Daniel  Lambert ;  through  Bulrush  we  have  the 
Merrills ;  and  through  Woodbury,  Hale's  Green  Mountain  Morgan, 
Magna  Charta  and  (probably)  Gold  Dust. 

From  this  short  summary  of  the  horses  classed  as  sources  of  trotting 
blood,  we  may  pass  to  brief  mention  of  a  few  of  the  numerous  strains  or 


AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 


DICTATOR. 

Brown  stallion  ;   foaled  1863  ;   property  of  H.  C.  MCDOWELL,  Lexington,  Ky. 
(Sire  of  Jay  Eye  See,  2:10 — 2:o6J{.) 


66  AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 

families  now  holding  more  or  less  of  public  favor.      First,  by  acknowl- 
edged right,  are 

The  Hambletonians:  The  family  takes  its  name  from  Rysdyk's 
Hambletonian,  descended  on  the  paternal  side  from  Imp.  Messenger, 
through  his  Thoroughbred  son  Mambrino  (American)  and  Mambrino's 
son,  Abdallah,  sire  of  Hambletonian.  The  dam  of  Hambletonian  was 
by  Bellfounder.  Through  Hambletonian  we  have  the  Volunteers,  Ed- 
ward Everetts,  Alexander's  Abdallahs,  Almonts,  Messenger-Durocs, 
Happy  Mediums,  Wilkeses,  Dictators,  Wood's  Hambletonians,  Elec- 
tioneers, and  many  others  of  acknowledged  eminence  laying  claim  to 
the  general  title  of  Hambletonian. 

The  Mambrinos,  another  great  family — descended  on  the  paternal 
side  from  Imp.  Messenger — take  the  name  from  Mambrino  Chief.  His 
sire  was  Mambrino  Paymaster,  a  son  of  Mambrino,  who  was  also  the 
grandsire  of  Hambletonian.  All  the  Mambrinos,  Champions,  and  many 
Others  are  grouped  under  this  head. 

The  Bashaws  take  their  name  from  Young  Bashaw,  a  son  of  the 
Imp.  Barb,  Grand  Bashaw.  Young  Bashaw  was  the  sire  of  Andrew 
Jackson,  who  in  turn  got  Long  Island  Black  Hawk  ;  and  through  the 
latter  we  have  Green's  Bashaw,  the  Mohawks,  and  others  of  note. 

Closely  related  to  the  Bashaws  are 

The  Clays,  who  take  the  family  name  from  Henry  Clay,  a  son  of 
Andrew  Jackson,  above  mentioned.  From  this  horse  we  have  the 
numerous  strains  of  Clays  ;  and  through  his  famous  grandson,  George 
M.  Patchen,  we  have  the  branch  which  bears  his  name. 

The  Morgans  we  have  already  mentioned  as  taking  the  name  and 
excellence  of  old  Justin  Morgan.  Under  this  head  we  have  the  Black 
Hawks  (exclusive  of  Long  Island  Black  Hawk,  who  was  by  Andrew 
Jackson,  with  no  trace  of  Morgan  blood),  Ethan  Aliens,  Knoxes,  Daniel 
Lamberts,  Fearnaughts,  Merrills,  and  others. 

Pacing  blood  is  represented  chiefly  by  the  Pilots,  who  take  their 
name  from  Pilot  Jr.,  already  noted,  and  the  Blue  Bulls,  from  the  cele- 
brated pacer  of  that  name ;  with  the  Royal  Georges,  Hiatogas,  Bald 
Stockings  (descended  from  Tom  Hal,  lately  deceased),  Copper  Bottoms, 
and  others,  as  seconds  of  no  mean  value.  Right  here  we  cannot  fail  to 
notice  the  peculiar  force  of  pacing  blood,  especially  on  the  side  of  the 
dam,  when  joined  with  paternal  blood  of  established  trotting  excellence. 
The  mares  by  Pilot  Jr.,  St.  Clair,  and  other  noted  pacers,  have  given  us 
the  fastest  flyers  of  the  age,  and  no  amount  of  self-confident  reference  to 
"Thoroughbred  grand  dams,"  in  the  cases  of  Maud  S.  and  Jay  Eye  See, 
can  now  breast  the  tide  of  popular  favor  which  the  pacing  element 
enjoys.  Old  Blue  Bull,  a  horse  of  great  speed  at  the  pacing  gait  alone, 
stands  now,  at  the  close  of  the  racing  season  1892,  sixth  on  the  list  as  a 
sire  of  trotters  ;  having  to  his  credit  56  horses  with  a  trotting  record  of 
2:30  or  better. 


AMERICAN    TROTTERS. 


PHALLAS,  a:i3#. 
Bay  stallion;  property  of  J.  I.  CASE,  Racine,  Wis. 


68  AMERICAN     TROTTERS. 

It  is  now  well  known  and  admitted  that  the  trot  and  the  pace  are 
interchangeable,  and  that  a  horse  may  be  taught  to  go  at  either  gait. 
The  idea  of  20  years  ago,  that  pacing  blood  was  of  no  value  in  a  trotting 
pedigree,  has  gone,  and  gone  to  stay. 

i'OME    OF    THE    FASTEST 1 888. 

An  examination  of  the  list  of  fast  records  brings  up  matters  of 
such  interest  as  to  warrant  at  least  notice  in  these  pages.  In  every 
case,  through  the  list  of  stallions,  mares  and  geldings,  the  really  fast 
movers  have  been  the  result  of  steady  breeding  in  blood  lines  to  attain 
the  desired  ends.  It  is  this  fact  which  points  conclusively  toward  the 
inevitable  recognition  of  the  claims  of  the  American  Trotter  to  be 
classed  as  a  breed. 

The  fastest  stallions  at  close  of  the  racing  season  1888,  were:  Maxey 
Cobb,  2:13^;  Phallas,  2:13^,  and  Patron,  2:14^.  Maxey  Cobb  has 
the  best  record,  but  it  is  admitted  that  Phallas — next  by  a  difference  of 
one-half  second — is  really  the  better  horse,  since  he  met  and  defeated 
the  former  in  an  easy  victory.  The  2:13^  of  Phallas  was,  at  that  time, 
the  fastest  time  ever  made  by  a  stallion  in  a  race,  and  the  fastest  time 
ever  made  in  a  fourth  heat  by  any  horse ;  and  cannot  at  least  be  con- 
sidered inferior  to  the  2:133^  of  Maxey  Cobb,  made  in  a  trial  against 
time. 

Phallas  (see  pedigree  in  full)  is  a  bay  son  of  Dictator,  out  of  Betsy 
Trotwood  by  Clark  Chief.  Dictator  was  by  Rysdyk's  Hambletonian, 
out  of  Clara,  by  Seely's  American  Star,  and  was  a  full  brother  to  Dexter. 

Maxey  Cobb,  a  bay,  is  by  Happy  Medium — a  trotting-bred  trotter, 
standing  third  on  the  list  as  a  sire  of  2:30  horses ;  he  by  Rysdyk's  Ham- 
bletonian, out  of  the  trotting  mare  Princess,  the  famous  California  long- 
distance mare,  whose  history  is  so  intimately  connected  with  that  of 
Flora  Temple,  through  their  struggles  on  the  track.  Princess  was  by  a 
grandson  of  Bishop's  .Hambletonian — the  son  of  Messenger,  supposed 
to  be  Thoroughbred,  and  whose  name  was  at  first  spelled  H-a-m-i-1- 
t-o-n-i-a-n. 

Patron,  a  bay,  is  a  great  grandson  of  Mambrino  Chief,  through  his 
sire  Pancoast.  On  the  other  side,  he  runs  again  to  Mambrino  Chief 
family,  his  dam  being  by  Cuyler  out  of  a  mare  by  Mambrino  Patchen. 
When  we  consider  the  age  of  Patron  (five  years)  at  the  time  his  record 
of  2:14*^  was  made,  he  may  fairly  be  called  the  equal  of  the  two  pre- 
ceding :  indeed,  taking  the  trio  together,  a  horseman  could  hardly 
choose  one  without  an  innate  fear  that  a  better  judgment  would  have 
chosen  another. 

The  fastest  mares  at  close  of  the  racing  season  1888,  were  :  Maud  S., 
2:08^;  Belle  Hamlin,  2:13^;  Goldsmith  Maid,  2:14,  and  Trinkett,  2:14. 

Maud  S.,  a  chestnut,  the  then  queen  of  the  trotting  turf  by  virtue  of 


AMERICAN     TROTTERS. 


6q 


7O  AMERICAN     TROTTERS. 

her  2:08^,  is  by  Harold — a  son  of  Rysdyk's  Hambletonian,  out  of  a 
mare  by  Hambletonian's  sire  Abdallah.  The  dam  of  Maud  S.  is  Miss 
Russell,  whose  sire  was  the  now  famous  Pilot  Jr.  Probably  no  other 
trotter  ever  enjoyed  such  high  public  favor  as  this  famous  mare.  She 
was  foaled  in  1874,  and  is  now  owned  by  Robert  Bonner,  of  New  York. 
Belle  Hamlin,  a  bay,  next  on  the  list,  is- by  Hamlin's  Almont,  a  son  of 
Alexander's  Abdallah — out  of  a  mare  by  Vermont  Black  Hawk.  The 
dam  of  old  Almont  was  by  Mambrino  Chief. 

Goldsmith  Maid  and  Trinkett,  who  are  tied  as  to  record,  each  stand- 
ing at  2:14,  are  distinctly  trotting  bred.  Goldsmith  Maid,  a  bay,  was 
sired  by  Alexander's  Abdallah,  a  son  of  Rysdyk's  Hambletonian,  and 
one  whose  early  death  was  not  the  least  disaster  of  the  late  civil  war. 
The  dam  of  Goldsmith  Maid  was  a  daughter  of  the  original  Abdallah, 
by  Mambrino  by  Messenger. 

Trinkett,  a  bay,  was  a  trotter  at  an  early  age,  having  a  record  of 
2:19^  as  a  four-year-old,  at  a  time  when  such  a  record  was  considered 
wonderful.  Her  sire  was  Princeps,  a  son  of  Woodford  Mambrino,  out 
of  a  mare  by  Alexander's  Abdallah.  The  dam  of  Trinkett  was  by 
Rysdyk's  Hambletonian. 

The  fastest  geldings  at  close  of  racing  season  1888,  were:  Jay  Eye 
See,  2:10;  St.  Julien,  2:11^,  and  Guy,  2:12^.  Jay  Eye  See,  a  black, 
is  by  Dictator,  out  of  the  mare  Midnight,  whose  sire  was  Pilot  Jr.  The 
parentage  of  Dictator  has  been  already  mentioned  under  the  notice  of 
Phallas. 

Jay  Eye  See  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  little  horses  that  ever 
wore  harness.  On  account  of  an  accident  which  injured  his  leg,  he  was 
thrown  out  of  iraining  not  long  after  making  his  record  of  2:10 — for  a 
few  days  the  best  trotting  record  of  the  world — and  was  not  again 
actively  trained  until  the  past  season,  1892,  when  it  was  found  that 
the  lateral  gait  seemed  to  favor  his  leg  trouble,  and  he  was  therefore 
trained  for  pacing.  Although  now  fourteen  years  old,  and  for  long 
years  not  able  to  trot  fast  because  of  his  injured  leg,  he  improved  so 
rapidly  at  the  side-wheel  gait  as  to  astonish  even  his  friends.  During 
the  summer  meeting  at  Rush  Park,  Independence,  Iowa,  on  the  26th 
day  of  August,  1892,  driven  by  his  owner,' Jackson  I.  Case,  he  paced  a 
beautifully  even  mile  under  official  rules  for  time  records,  in  2:06^  — 
making  him  the  fastest  double-gaited  horse  in  the  world,  and  demon- 
strating the  wonderful  strength  and  speed  of  the  blood  which  courses 
through  his  veins.' 

St.  Julien,  a  bay,  is  by  Volunteer,  a  son  of  Rysdyk's  Hambletonian, 
out  of  Flora,  by  Sayre's  Harry  Clay.  Harry  Clay  was  also  the  sire  of 
the  famous  brown  mare,  Green  Mountain  Maid,  whose  fame  as  the  dam 
of  Electioneer  and  other  noted  horses  is  only  exceeded  by  the  universal 


AMERICAN     TROTTERS.  Jl 

regret  among  breeders  of  trotting  stock  at  her  death,  which  occurred 
June  6th,  1888.  The  dam  of  Harry  Clay  was  by  Imp.  Bellfounder. 

Guy,  a  black,  third  on  the  list  in  1888,  is  by  Kentucky  Prince,  and 
out  of  Flora  Gardner.  His  record,  placing  him  third  on  the  list  of  geld- 
ings, was  not  made  until  near  the  close  of  the  racing  season,  Septem- 
ber 19,  1888  ;  so  that  prior  to  that  date  the  third  place  had  been  held  by 
Rarus,  2:13^,  a  bay,  with  blazed  face  and  white  hind  ankles,  sired  by 
Conklin's  Abdallah,  and  out  of  a  mare  by  Telegraph.  Guy,  although  an 
erratic  performer,  is  a  horse  of  great  gameness  and  spirit,  and  shows 
bursts  of  speed  at  a  rate  far  beyond  his  official  record.  August  i,  1889,  at 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  he  again  lowered  his  mark  to  2:10^,  where  it  now  rests. 

The  holders  of  the  records  for  age  in  1888  were  :  Manzanita,  Sable 
Wilkes,  Sunol  and  Norlaine. 

Manzanita,  a  bay  mare,  bred  at  Palo  Alto,  Cal.,  the  then  best  four- 
year-old,  has  a  record  at  that  age  of  2:16.  Her  dam  is  Mayflower,  by 
the  pacer  St.  Clair,  and  her  sire  is  Electioneer,  the  famous  son  of  Green 
Mountain  Maid  and  Hambletonian.  (Manzanita  was  severely  injured  by 
fire  at  Palo  Alto,  April  iyth,  1888.) 

Sable  Wilkes,  a  black  stallion,  the  then  best  three-year-old,  has  a 
record  at  that  age  of  2:18.  His  dam  is  Sable,  who  combines  the  blood 
of  Pilot  Jr.,  Young  Copper  Bottom,  Hambletonian  and  Mambrino Chief. 
His  sire  is  Guy  Wilkes,  a  grandson  of  Hambletonian,  and  tracing  on 
the  maternal  side  to  Mambrino  Chief  and  Seely's  American  Star. 

Sunol,  the  best  two-year-old  to  close  of  1888,  has  a  record  at  that 
age  of  2:18.  It  was  late  in  the  season  when  Sunol  made  the  record 
which  placed  her  first  among  two-year-olds.  Earlier  in  the  season  this 
honor  had  been  gracefully  borne  by  Wildflower,  2:21,  a  bay  mare  by 
Electioneer,  out  of  Mayflower;  but  on  October  19,  1888,  at  the  Bay 
District  Track,  San  Francisco,  Sunol  passed  the  Wildflower  mark  and 
established  the  slightly  better  one  ©f  2:20^4.  Eight  days  later  (Oct.  27, 
1888),  at  the  same  place,  she  reduced  her  own  record  to  2:18,  exactly 
equaling  the  three-year-old  record  of  Sable  Wilkes,  above  noted. 

Sunol  is  a  bay  mare,  foaled  in  1886,  got  by  Electioneer  out  of 
Waxana.  Waxana,  a  chestnut,  is  by  General  Benton,  out  of  the  Thor- 
oughbred mare  Waxy,  whose  breeding  has  been  the  subject  of  so  much, 
and  so  ill-natured,  criticism.  Mr.  Bonner,  the  owner  of  Sunol,  writes 
under  date  December  5,  1891: 

«  *  *  *  Sunol's  second  dam  is  by  Lexington  [Thoroughbred]  ;  that  has  been 
established  beyond  the  shadow  of  a  doubt.  *  *  *  ' 

Sunol's  career  has  been  a  series  of  triumphs,  holding  in  succession 
the  two-year-old,  three-year-old,  four-year-old,  five-year-old  and  aged 
trotting  records  of  the  world  ;  being  the  first  to  lower  the  long-time 
standard,  2:08^,  of  Maud  S. ,  and  establish  the  newer  world's  record, 
2:08^,  as  a  five-year-old  in  1891.  Her  career  the  past  season  (1892) 


72  AMERICAN     TROTTERS. 

has  disappointed  her  admirers  to  some  extent,  as  she  has  done  practi- 
cally nothing  but  jog,  her  best  mile  rating  a  little  slower  than  2:11  ;  but 
she  is  said  to  be  in  good  condition,  and  some  fast  work  may  reasonably 
be  expected  in  1893. 

Norlaine,  a  brown  filly,  the  then  best  yearling,  whose  record  of 
2:31^  at  that  age  astonished  the  world,  was  by  Norval,  a  son  of  Elec- 
tioneer, out  of  Elaine,  the  famous  trotting  daughter  of  Messenger- 
Duroc  and  Green  Mountain  Maid.  (Norlaine  was  fatally  injured  by  fire 
at  Palo  Alto,  April  iyth,  1888,  and  died  on  Thursday,  April  igth, 
following.) 

All  of  the  young  Champions  of  1888  were  from  California;  three  of 
them  trace  in  direct  descent  to  Electioneer — the  greatest  sire  of  trotters 
the  world  has  yet  known — and  all  are  from  mares  speedy  both  in  blood 
and  performance.  Another  point  of  interest  in  these  cases,  is  found  in 
the  element  of  pacing  blood,  which  has  so  kindly  mingled  with  that  of 
high  performing  trotters  in  their  royal  ancestry. 

We  have  thought  best  to  insert  the  above  outline  statement  of  rec- 
ords to  close  of  1888 — when  first  edition  of  this  work  was  written — that 
the  student,  and  the  general  reader  as  well,  may  form  some  idea  of  the 
wonderful  progress  made  in  speed  development  during  recent  years.  A 
comparison  with  the  following  list  of  present  champions  may  be  of 
interest : 

SOME  OF  THE  FASTEST l8Q2. 

The  fastest  stallions  at  the  close  of  the  racing  season  1892  are:  Stam- 
boul,  2:07^  ;  Kremlin,  2:07^  5  Palo  Alto,  2:08^,  and  Allerton,  2:09^. 

Stamboul,  a  brown  bay,  is  by  Sultan,  2:24,out  of  Fleetwing — a  daugh- 
ter of  Hambletonian  10.  He  was  foaled  in  1883,  and  was  recently  sold 
at  auction  to  Mr.  E.  H.  Harriman,  of  New  York,  for  $41,000.  There  has 
been  started  an  attempt  to  overthrow  the  honestly  made  2:07^  on  tech- 
nical grounds-— a  few  claiming  that  the  start  (Stockton,  California,  kite 
track,  November  23,  1892)  was  made  a  few  minutes  prior  to  10  o'clock,  A. 
M.,  which  is  contrary  to  the  rules  of  the  Register  Association.  Whether 
technically  barred  as  a  "record"  or  not,  the  distance  was  never  more 
honestly  covered,  and  we  shall  most  emphatically  place  his  name  at  the 
head  of  the  stallion  list  by  virtue  of  the  time  officially  reported.  Stam- 
boul's  blood  lines  are  those  of  the  trotting-bred  trotter,  there  being  no 
running  blood  closer  than  the  fifth  generation. 

Kremlin,  a  bay,  foaled  1887,  is  by  Lord  Russell — a  full  brother  to 
Maud  S. — out  of  Eventide,  a  triple  speed-producing  grand-daughter  of 
Hambletonian  10.  His  record  of  2:07^  was  made  on  the  regulation 
track  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  November  12,  1892,  and  no  shadow  of  tech- 
nical error  has  been  charged  against  it.  He  is  owned  by  W.  R.  Allen, 
of  Allen  Farm,  Pittsfield,  Massachusetts. 

Kremlin  and  Stamboul  have  had  a  veritable  game  of  see-saw  for  the 


AMERICAN     TROTTERS.  73 

stallion  championship.  Stamboul  on  the  kite  track  at  Stockton,  Cal., 
Kremlin  on  the  regulation  track  at  Nashville,  Tenn. ,  the  former  driven 
by  Walter  Maben,  the  latter  by  Ed.  Either,  each  hooked  to  a  bicycle  sulky 
with  pneumatic  tires,  began  their  struggles  early  in  the  fall,  when  Stamboul 
wrested  the  crown  from  Palo  Alto  by  trotting  in  2:08^2.  Almost  imme- 
diately after,  Kremlin  placed  it  at  2:08^  and  a  few  days  later  Stamboul 
again  reduced  it  to  2:08  flat.  Saturday,  November  i2th,  Kremlin  again 
took  the  crown  with  his  present  record,  2:07^,  only  to  lose  it  again  to 
Stamboul  on  Wednesday,  November  23rd,  when  the  present  stallion 
record,  2:07^,  was  made. 

Palo  Alto,  a  bay,  bred  by  Senator  Stanford,  and  worthily  carrying 
the  name  of  the  Senator's  famous  breeding  farm,  was  got  by  Electioneer 
out  of  a  strictly  Thoroughbred  mare — Dame  Winnie.  Dame  Winnie, 
now  dead,  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  only  strictly  Thoroughbred 
mare  that  has  produced  three  trotters  in  the  2:30  list — one  of  the  three 
being  better  than  2:10.  She  was  sired  by  Planet,  out  of  a  mare  by  im- 
ported Glencoe.  Palo  Alto  was  the  one  brilliant  example  of  the  "  Thor- 
oughbred-blood-in-the-trotter"  advocates,  and  nobly  did  the  game  old 
horse  support  their  theories.  He  was  foaled  February  15,  1882,  and  died 
July  21,  1892,  of  pneumonia  from  the  effects  of  a  cold  contracted  in  ship- 
ment east.  On  Tuesday,  November  17,  1891,  Palo  Alto  wrested  the 
stallion  championship  from  Allerton,  2:09^,  by  trotting  a  mile  to  an 
old-style  sulky  in  spite  of  lameness  in  2:08^,  equaling  the  ex-world's 
record  of  Maud  S,  and  carrying  the  stallion  crown  safely  into  winter 
quarters. 

Allerton,  a  bright  brown  bay,  with  white  spots  on  front  coronets  and 
white  hind  ankles,  was  foaled  in  1886,  bred,  and  is  still  owned  by  C.  W. 
Williams,  Independence,  Iowa.  Allerton  is  by  Jay  Bird,  out  of  Gussie 
Wilkes.  Jay  Bird  is  a  son  of  George  Wilkes,  and  Gussie  Wilkes  is  out 
of  Dora  Wilkes,  a  daughter  of  George  Wilkes.  Mambrino  Boy,  the  sire 
of  Gussie  Wilkes,  is  a  grandson  of  Mambrino  Chief,  and  Lady  Frank, 
the  dam  of  Jay  Bird,  is  a  granddaughter  of  Mambrino  Chief.  George 
Wilkes  is  by  Hambletonian  10,  and  both  Hambletonian  and  Mambrino 
Chief  are  grandsons  of  Mambrino  (American),  a  son  of  imported  Messen- 
ger. The  blood  which  Allerton  boasts  carries  with  it  speed  and  bottom, 
yet  even  this  is  second  to  his  splendid  individuality.  Win  or  lose,  that 
element  of  tenacity,  which  has  earned  for  him  the  title  of  the  "bull-dog 
trotter,"  never  leaves  him,  and  his  warmest  admirers  are  those  who  have 
witnessed  his  very  few  defeats.  His  record  of  2:09^  was  made  on  Sat- 
urday, September  19,  1891,  on  the  kite-shaped  track  at  Rush  Park,  In- 
dependence, la.,  and  the  crown  was  held  until  lost  to  Palo  Alto  on  the 
1 7th  of  November  following.  As  a  three-year-old  his  performances, 
while  overshadowed  in  the  popular  mind  by  the  wonderful  speed  of  his 
stable  companion  and  close  relative,  Axtell,  were,  in  the  minds  of  close 


74  AMERICAN     TROTTERS. 

observers,   nothing  short  of  wonderful,    and  in  some  respects   showed 
'marked  superiority  to  the  son  of  Lou  and  William  L. 

C.  W.  Williams,  who  bred,  owned  and  drove  to  fastest  records  both 
Axtell  and  Allerton,  says  in  Rush  Park  catalogue  for  1890  : 

"  I  was  proud  of  Axtell  on  the  day  that  he  carried  me  a  mile  in  2:12  at  Terre  Hautei 
but  I  am  free  to  confess  that  I  felt  a  keener  thrill  of  admiration  for  the  young  race  horse 
Allerton  when  he  landed  a  winner  of  the  Brewster  stakes  at  the  Northwestern  Breeders' 
Meeting,  after  having  fought  out  two  races  of  eight  heats  within  four  days,  both  against 
large  fields  of  aged  and  seasoned  campaigners,  either  one  a  better  race  than  has  ever  been 
trotted  by  a  three-year-old,  and  the  last  quarter  of  the  last  mile  done  at  a  2:12  gait  in  a 
head-and-head  contest  with  other  horses.  Axtell  lowered  the  three-year-old  record  that 
afternoon,  but  the  cheers  which  greeted  his  performance  were  feeble  and  tame  beside  the 
storm  of  applause  that  followed  the  suspense  of  the  fight  to  the  wire  between  Bassenger 
Boy  and  Allerton.  When  the  great  colt  flashed  past  the  post  in  that  heat  with  Bassenger 
at  his  saddle,  still  trying  to  win,  I  think  he  placed  to  his  credit  the  gamest  and  greatest,  if 
not  the  most  brilliant,  record  ever  made  by  a  three-year-old.  And  this  opinion  I  find  is 
shared  by  many  breeders,  particularly  in  Kentucky,  where  a  popular  horse  must  be  a  race 
horse  as  well  as  a  trotter.  The  men  who  still  love  to  talk  of  old  Dexter  and  Director  are 
the  ones  who  fancy  Allerton." 

Allerton's  best  record  of  2:09*^  was  obtained  as  a  five-year-old, 
hooked  to  an  old-style  sulky  and  against  time,  but  after  a  brilliant  racing 
campaign,  in  which  he  met  and  defeated  the  handsome  bay  stallion  Nel- 
son, 2:10,  and  Delmarch,  2:11^,  and  was  himself  defeated  by  the  present 
queen  of  the  trotting  world — Nancy  Hanks,  2:04. 

Nelson,  by  the  way,  has  been  peculiarly  unfortunate  in  having  to  suf- 
fer expulsion  from  the  American  Association  tracks  through  the  machi- 
nations of  his  owner,  whose  name  he  bears.  By  formal  action  of  the 
Board  he  has  lately  been  reinstated,  and  we  should  like  to  see  him  placed 
in  the  hands  of  some  such  man  as  Doble,  Marvin  or  Splan  for  the  cam- 
paign of  1893,  The  breeding  of  Nelson  is  peculiarly  strong — his  sire, 
Young  Rolfe,  tracing  back  to  the  famous  old  white-faced,  white-legged 
pacing  mare  Pocahontas,  2:17^,  and  his  dam  Gretchen — a  granddaugh- 
ter of  old  Hambletonian — being  out  of  the  Morgan  mare  Kate,  whose 
sire  was  the  famous  Morgan  representative,  Vermont  Blackhawk.  If 
Nelson  does  not  reduce  his  record  in  1893  it  will  be  through  no  fault  of 
his  breeding  or  his  individuality. 

The  stallion  crown  has  had  a  numerous  succession  in  the  last  few 
years.  Allerton  took  the  championship  from  Nelson,  who  had  held  it 
prior  to  September  4,  1891,  with  his  record  of  2:10^,  made  October  21, 
1890,  and  who  had  in  turn  received  it  from  Axtell,  whose  record  of  2:12 
was  made  as  a  three-year-old  earlier  in  the  same  year.  Axtell  received 
the  crown  from  Maxey  Cobb,  2:13^,  who  was  first  by  record  at  the 
close  of  1888.  Axtell,  a  dark  bay,  was  bred  by  C.  W.  Williams,  of 
Independence,  Iowa,  who  also  drove  him  to  his  wonderful  three-year-old 
record.  His  sire  is  William  L. ,  a  son  of  George  Wilkes,  and  his  dam 
is  Lou  by  Mambrino  Boy — a  grandson  of  Mambrino  Chief.  The  contest 


AMERICAN     TROTTERS. 


75 


H   M 
§    O 


76  AMERICAN     TROTTERS. 

between  Axtell  and  Sunol  for  the  three-year-old  championship  in  1889 
is  still  fresh  in  the  minds  oi  horsemen  ;  and,  although  at  length  beaten 
as  to  record  by  the  fleety  daughter  of  Electioneer,  the  sturdy  son  of 
William  L.  was  sold  to  Col.  John  W.  Conley,  W.  P.  Ijams  and  others, 
for  $105,000  net  cash — a  sum  he  has  much  more  than  paid  back  i-n  his 
three  years'  stud  service  at  a  fee  of  $1,000. 

The  fastest  mares  at  the  close  of  the  racing  season  1892,  are  : 
Nancy  Hanks,  2:04;  Martha  Wilkes,  2:08;  Sunol,  2:o8j^  ;  Maud  S., 
2:08^,  and  Belle  Vara,  2:08^. 

Nancy  Hanks,  the  reigning  queen,  is  a  beautifully  built  bright  bay 
mare,  owned  by  J.  Malcolm  Forbes,  Boston,  Mass.,  and  was  foaled  in 
1886.  Her  sire  (see  pedigree  in  full)  is  Happy  Medium — a  son  of  Ham- 
bletonian — and  her  dam  is  Nancy  Lee,  by  Dictator — also  a  son  of  Ham- 
bletonian.  Her  record  at  the  close  of  1891  was  2:09,  but  in  1892  it  was 
rapidly  lowered  at  least  a  half  dozen  times  until  Wednesday,  September 
29th,  when  she  made  her  present  mark,  2:04,  on  the  regulation  track  at 
Terre  Haute,  Indiana,  hooked  to  a  bicycle  sulky,  and  driven  by  Doble. 
The  gait  of  Nancy  Hanks  when  going  at  full  speed  is  about  as  near  the 
perfection  of  trotting  motion  as  the  writer  ever  expects  to  see.  There 
is  absolutely  no  friction,  and  almost  no  body  motion  ;  indeed,  when  at 
full  speed  she  would  prove  as  comfortable  a  saddler  as  any  of  the  modern 
"single-footers"  that  delight  the  rider's  heart.  She  is  still  in  the  hands 
of  Mr.  Doble,  who  has  driven  her  to  all  her  fast  records,  and  may  very 
possibly  lower  her  present  mark  the  coming  season. 

We  present  her  portrait  through  the  courtesy  of  the  American  Trot- 
ter, Independence,  Iowa. 

Martha  Wilkes  (foaled  1883),  a  large,  rangy,  rather  coarse-looking 
bay  mare,  is  by  Alcyone,  a  son  of  George  Wilkes,  and  out  of  Ella  by 
Clark  Chief.  Her  record  of  2:08  was  made  with  a  bicycle  sulky,  on 
Thursday,  September  i,  1892,  at  Independence,  Iowa.  It  is  possible 
that  on  account  of  a  technicality  this  record  will  not  be  allowed  by  the 
Register  Association,  in  which  event  her  best  technical  "record"  will 
be  the  mark  2:08*^  made  at  Evansville,  Indiana,  in  the  second  heat  of 
a  race,  September  2gth,  following.  She  was  bred  by  Mrs.  Carrie  M. 
Marders,  Pine  Grove,  Kentucky,  who  sold  the  mare  to  Mr.  E.  D.  Wiggin, 
of  Boston,  her  present  owner.  In  the  opinion  of  some,  Martha  Wilkes 
is  a  dangerous  rival  to  Nancy  Hanks,  but  we  cannot  concur  in  such 
opinion.  That  she  is  both  game  and  fast  there  can  be  no  question,  but 
on  neither  count  does  she  equal  the  present  queen. 

Sunol,  third  on  the  list  by  virtue  of  her  2:08^  (Stockton,  California, 
kite,  November  20,  1891,  old-style  sulky),  we  have  already  mentioned 
in  detail.  She  is  in  the  hands  of  Charles  Marvin,  and  if  no  further 
misfortune  occurs  we  expect  to  see  her  reduce  her  record  in  1893. 
Whether  she  may  reach  the  record  set  by  Nancy  Hanks  is  a  question  to 


AMERICAN     TROTTERS.  77 

be  settled  by  trial ;  she  undoubtedly  is  capable  of  trotting  in  very  fast 
time,  and  we  hope  to  see  her  fulfill  Mr.  Bonner's  expectations  during 
the  coming  season. 

Maud  S.  and  Belle  Vara  are  tied  as  to  record,  2:08^,  for  fourth 
place.  Of  the  former  we  need  say  little.  The  chestnut  daughter  of 
Harold  and  Miss  Russell  is  now  in  her  nineteenth  year,  and,  although 
possible,  it  is  hardly  probable  that  she  will  ever  again  trot  to  as  low  a 
record  as  her  own  2:08^,  made  with  an  old-style  sulky,  July  30,  1885, 
and  so  many  years  untouched  as  the  fastest  trotting  record  of  the  world 
Maud  S.  has  been  a  queen  indeed  ;  and,  while  we  doff  our  hat  to  Sunol, 
Martha  Wilkes  and  Nancy  Hanks,  we  cannot  fail  to  record  our  loving 
admiration  for  the  great  mare  whose  name  is  yet  a  household  word 
throughout  her  native  land. 

Belle  Vara  (foaled  1887)  is  a  black  mare  by  Vatican,  out  of  Nell  by 
Estille's  Eric — a  son  of  Ericsson.  Her  2:08^  was  made  September  30, 
1892,  in  the  first  heat  of  a  race  against  Walter  E.  and  three  other  horses, 
at  Terre  Haute,  Indiana.  Although  Belle  Vara  had  the  advantage  of 
Maud  S.  in  being  hooked  to  a  bicycle  sulky,  the  fact  that  her  record  was 
made  in  a  neck  and  neck  race  with  other  horses  should  place  her  on  a 
fairly  equal  footing  as  to  actual  merit  with  the  ex-queen,  whose  2:08^ 
was  made  against  time.  Vatican  is  by  Belmont,  out  of  Vara,  by  Rys- 
dyk's  Hambletonian — a  statement  which  explains  sufficiently  well  the 
wonderful  speed  of  Vatican's  daughter,  Belle  Vara. 

The  fastest  geldings  at  the  close  of  racing  season  1892,  are  :  Jay 
Eye  See,  2:10;  Lord  Clinton  and  Little  Albert,  each  2:10^;  Guy, 
2:10^,  and  St.  Julien,  2:11^. 

Jay  Eye  See  was  first  on  the  gelding  list  in  1888,  and  no  gelding 
has  yet  supplanted  him.  His  breeding,  description,  and  wonderful 
pacing  record  of  2:06^  made  this  season,  have  already  been  given. 

Lord  Clinton  and  Little  Albert,  tied  for  second  place  at  2:10^,  are 
both  newcomers,  and  as  their  records  show,  are  phenomenally  fast. 
Lord  Clinton  is  a  handsome,  mouse-black  gelding,  carrying  a  large  per 
cent,  of  Morgan  blood — his  sire  being  Denning's  Allen,  he  by  Honest 
Allen — a  son  of  Ethan  Allen.  Clinton's  dam  is  a  speedy-looking  little 
running  mare  of  unknown  breeding,  but  supposably  bearing  Thorough- 
bred blood.  His  record  of  2:10^  was  made  with  a  bicycle  sulky  at 
Independence,  Iowa,  September  i,  1892,  and  was  o-ne  of  the  most  re- 
markable performances  it  has  ever  been  the  writer's  good  fortune  to 
witness.  His  main  competitors  in  the  race  were  Lobasco — a  bay  stallion 
driven  by  McHenry — and  Little  Albert,  who  were  made  even  favorites 
in  the  pools.  Little  Albert  was  really  believed  to  be  the  better  horse, 
but  the  fact  that  the  stallion  was  to  be  driven  by  McHenry  brought  him 
up  to  even  money  with  the  chestnut  gelding.  Clinton  was  practically 
overlooked  by  the  "talent,"  and  his  backers  secured  long  odds  and 


78  AMERICAN     TROTTERS. 

made  heavy  winnings.  In  the  first  heat  Clinton  finished  third,  Lobasco 
and  Little  Albert  fighting  neck  and  neck  from  start  to  finish.  The 
judges  gave  the  heat  to  Lobasco  in  2:11^,  but  the  blaze  face  of  Little 
Albert  was  plainly  a  few  inches  in  front  of  Lobasco's  nose,  as  was  after- 
wards proved  by  the  instantaneous  photograph  of  the  finish.  In  the 
second  heat,  Raybould  held  Clinton  well  back  until  the  turn  into  the 
stretch,  when  he  set  sail  for  the  leaders.  McHenry,  behind  Lobasco, 
and  Kelly  with  Little  Albert,  were  busily  watching  each  other,  and  hardly 
realized  the  danger  that  threatened  until  Clinton  was  fully  abreast  and 
going  at  a  2:08  clip.  Lobasco  could  not  carry  the  speed,  and  Clinton 
won  by  a  length  from  Little  Albert,  who  gamely  drove  the  winner  out 
in  2:10^.  After  this  heat  Little  Albert  was  never  better  than  third. 

In  the  scoring  for  the  third  heat,  McHenry,  who  had  laid  up  the 
stallion  after  his  break  at  the  stretch  in  the  second  heat,  looked  smil- 
ingly confident  and  determined  to  win.  Lobasco  was  still  the  favorite  ; 
but  the  speed  which  Clinton  had  shown  in  the  stretch,  and  the  really 
easy  manner  in  which  he  stepped  away  from  Little  Albert,  after  passing 
the  distance,  found  him  plenty  of  buyers,  and  the  mutuals  showed 
nearly  even  betting  when  the  word  was  given.  McHenry  drove  like  a 
demon,  and  to  his  credit  be  it  said,  Lobasco  never  made  a  gamer  fight 
against  greater  odds.  Clinton  kept  the  pole  in  spite  of  McHenry' s  driv- 
ing, and  down  the  stretch  the  two  came  neck  and  neck.  The  stallion 
was  trotting  a  magnificent  race,  and  his  friends  were  never  more  confi- 
dent of  success.  But  the  scene  soon  changed  :  Lobasco  had  done  his 
best ;  Clinton  had  plenty  to  spare,  and  in  the  last  fifty  yards  stepped 
easily  away  from  the  stallion,  winning  by  an  open  length  in  2:11  flat. 
The  concluding  heat  was  won  by  Clinton  in  slow  time,  Lobasco  winning 
place  from  Little  Albert. 

Little  Albert  is  a  light  chestnut  gelding  with  blaze  face,  campaigned 
by  Mr.  Saulisbury,  of  Pleasanton,  California.  His  sire  is  Albert  W.,  a 
son  of  Electioneer,  and  his  dam  is  a  daughter  of  Roach's  American 
Star.  His  record  of  2:10^  was  made  with  a  bicycle  sulky,  September 
22,  1892,  at  Columbus,  Indiana,  in  the  third  heat  of  a  five  heat  race, 
which  he  won. 

Guy,  third  on  the  list  by  record,  we  have  already  mentioned. 
His  record  of  2:10^  was  made  with  an  old-style  sulky,  at  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  August  i,  I88g. 

St.  Julien,  who  was  second  on  the  list  in  1888,  has  fallen  back  to 
fourth  place,  and  his  record,  2:11^,  has  been  beaten  by  so  many  trot- 
ters as  to  seem  comparatively  slow. 

The  present  holders  of  the  mile  records  for  age  are  :  One-year-old, 
Frou  Frou,  2:25^  ;  two-year-old,  Arion,  2:10^  ;  three-year-old,  Sunol, 
2:10*4,  and  Arion,  2:10^;  four-year-old,  Moquette,  2:10;  five-year-old, 
Kremlin,  2:07^. 


AMERICAN     TROTTERS.  79 

Frou  Frou,  the  best  yearling,  is  a  bay  filly  foaled  1890,  got  by  Sid- 
ney, a  trotting  bred  pacer,  out  of  Flirt  by  Buccaneer.  Her  record  of 
2:25^  was  made  on  the  Stockton,  California,  kite,  November  28,  1891. 
She  was  hooked  to  an  old-style  sulky,  and  driven  by  Millard  Saunders. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  in  1888  the  yearling  record  was  held  by 
Norlaine,  2:31^.  Since  that  time  Norlaine's  mantle  has  successively 
fallen  on  Freedom,  a  bay  colt  by  Sable  Wilkes,  who  made  a  yearling 
record  of  2:29^,  October  18,  1890;  Bell  Bird,  a  brown  filly  by  Elec- 
tioneer, who  made  a  yearling  record  of  2:26^,  October  21,  1891  ;  and 
on  Frou  Frou,  where  it  now  so  gracefully  rests. 

Arion,  the  best  two-year-old,  is  a  bay  colt,  foaled  1889,  got  by  Elec- 
tioneer out  of  Manette  by  Nutwood.  His  record  of  2:10^  was  made 
on  the  Stockton  kite,  November  10,  1891.  He  was  driven  by  Charles 
Marvin  to  an  old-style  sulky,  and  the  performance  may  be  justly  con- 
sidered the  most  remarkable  record  for  age  ever  made.  Arion  was  bred 
by  Senator  Stanford,  at  Palo  Alto,  California,  and  by  him  sold  to  Mr. 
Forbes,  of  Boston,  Massachusetts,  at  the  reported  figure  $125,000.  The 
2:10^4  of  Arion,  by  the  way,  is  the  seventh  fastest  stallion  record  of  the 
world,  an  honor  which  he  divides  with  Lobasco,  who  made  an  equal 
record  during  the  fall  of  1892.  In  his  three-year-old  form,  Arion,  at 
Nashville,  Tennessee,  November  12,  1892,  reduced  his  two-year-old 
record  to  2:10^ — equaling  the  three-year-old  record  of  Sunol,  and  plac- 
ing him  sixth  on  the  stallion  list — but  there  are  so  many  good  ones  in 
the  field  that  it  would  be  pure  conjecture  to  attempt  to  name  the  winn- 
ing four-year-old  of  1893. 

Sunol,  in  her  three-year-old  form,  easily  reduced  the  three-year-old 
record  of  Sable  Wilkes,  by  trotting  the  regulation  track  at  San  Fran- 
cisco, California,  on  November  9,  1889,  in  2:10^.  She  pulled  an  old- 
style  sulky,  with  Marvin  up.  The  fight  between  Sunol  and  Axtell  for 
the  three-year-old  championship  in  1889  is  a  notable  companion  piece 
to  the  struggles  of  Stamboul  and  Kremlin  this  year  for  the  stallion 
crown.  Axtell  began  the  fight  August  25,  1889,  when  he  trotted  in 
2:14  at  Chicago,  Illinois.  Sunol  followed  October  2,  by  trotting  in 
2:13^,  at  Fresno,  California.  On  October  u,  1889,  Williams  drove 
Axtell  to  his  present  record,  2:12,  at  Terre  Haute,  Indiana;  and  the 
Iowa  colt  was  thought  to  be  secure  in  his  well  earned  laurels.  His  vie-  • 
tory,  however,  was  short  lived,  as  Marvin  was  able  to  drive  the  Cali- 
fornia filly  a  mile  in  2:10^,  at  San  Francisco,  November  gth,  following, 
and  leave  her  in  possession  of  the  three-year-old  record,  which  she 
still  holds,  but  jointly  with  Arion  since  November  12,  1892. 

Moquette,  the  best  four-year-old,  is  a  bay  horse,  foaled  in  1888,  got 
by  Wilton,  2:19^,  out  of  Betsy  and  I,  by  Ericsson.  His  record  of  2:10 
was  made  on  the  regulation  track  at  Richmond,  Ind.,  September  16, 
1892.  He  was  hooked  to  a  bicycle  sulky,  and  driven  by  Mike  Bowerman. 


8o  AMERICAN     TROTTERS. 

At  the  close  of  1888,  the  four-year-old  record  was  held  by  Manzanita, 
2:16.  The  year  following  (1889)  her  record  was  equaled  by  Edgemark, 
and  on  August  23,  1890,  it  was  reduced  by  Sunol,  who  trotted  at  Wash- 
ington Park,  Chicago,  in  2:10^,  and  carried  the  four-year-old  record  for 
over  two  years,  until  lost  to  the  stallion  Moquette. 

Kremlin,  the  best  five-year-old,  we  have  mentioned  as  second  on  the 
stallion  list.  His  record  was  made  to  a  bicycle  sulky,  with  Either  up, 
on  the  regulation  track  at  Nashville,  Tenn.  Prior  to  this,  the  five-year- 
old  record  had  been  held  by  Sunol,  at  2:083^,  made  before  an  old-style 
sulky,  and  driven  by  Marvin,  on  the  Stockton  kite,  November  20,  1891. 

The  advance  in  speed  since  1888,  and  especially  since  1891,  has  been 
phenomenal,  and  marks  the  rapid  evolution  of  the  forces  joined  to  push 
the  interests  of  the  trotting  horse.  Track  improvement  was  the  first 
step — closely  followed  by  the  advent  of  the  modern  bicycle  sulky,  with 
ball  bearings  and  pneumatic  tires.  Beyond  all  queston  the  bicycle  sulky 
cuts  from  2  or  3  to  6  or  8  seconds  from  a  horse's  record  made  with  old- 
style  sulky,  and  this  fact  must  be  borne  in  mind  when  records  are  com- 
pared. With  the  old-style  sulky  it  was  conceded  by  all  horsemen  that 
the  kite-shaped  track  was  faster  than  the  regulation  track  by  from  i  to  3 
seconds,  but  since  the  bicycle  sulky  has  come  into  general  use  the  rec- 
ords have  apparently  suffered  more  on  ovals  than  on  kites. 

What  the  outcome  of  the  present  record  reduction  may  be,  we  shall 
not  attempt  to  predict.  Many  think  the  mile  in  two  minutes  a  proba- 
bility of  the  coming  season,  but  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  drop  of 
four  seconds  from  the  present  fastest  record,  2:04,  to  the  supposable  2:00 
flat,  means  a  wonderful  increase  in  the  rate  at  which  the  horse  must  travel. 
Sixty  yards  in  a  race  is  a  long  distance  between  first  and  second  horses, 
yet  this  is  what  four  seconds,  at  the  rate  of  speed  supposed,  would  cover. 
It  is  certainly  possible,  but  the  horse  that  accomplishes  the  result  must 
be  favored  in  everything — including  driver,  sulky,  track  and  weather. 

As  a  fitting  recognition  of  the  value  of  pacing  blood  in  the  Ameri- 
can trotting  horse,  we  give  the  following  list  of  pacers  that  have  made 
2:10  or  better  : 

Mascot,  2:04;  Hal  Pointer,  2:04^;  Direct,  2:05^;  Flying  Jib, 
2:053/i>  Johnston,  2:06^;  Jay  Eye  See,  2:06^;  Guy,  2:06^;  W.  Wood, 
2:07;  Vinette,  2:07^;  Roy  Wilkes,  2:07^;  Silkwood,  2:08^;  Blue  Sign, 
2:08 24;  Robert  J.,  Manager  and  Winslow  Wilkes,  each,  2:09^;  Cricket, 
2:10. 

When  it  is  remembered  that  only  one  horse  (Johnston,  2:06^)  had 
a  record  better  than  2:10  in  1888,  we  can  understand  how  great  has  been 
the  progress  in  pacing  speed  development.  Mascot' s  2 104 — exactly  equal- 
ing the  world's  trotting  record  of  Nancy  Hanks — was  made  to  a  bicycle 
sulky,  on  the  regulation  track  at  Terre  Haute,  Ind. ,  in  the  first  heat  of  the 
fastest  and  most  remarkable  pacing  race  on  record,  September  29,  1892. 


AMERICAN     TROTTERS. 


8l 


3-      (ft 

*  8 


82 


AMERICAN     TROTTERS. 


Concerning  this  race,   the  American    Trotter,    Independence,    la.,  issue 
of  October  6,  1892,  has  this  to  say  : 

"  For  the  second  time  in  history  the  2:05  mark  has  been  beaten  in  harness,  the  pacer 
Mascot  putting  in  a  heat  at  Terre  Haute  last  week  in  the  same  notch  that  Nancy  Hanks 
touched  when  she  trotted  in  2:04.  As  the  gelding  did  this  in  a  race,  starting  from  the 
outside,  the  performance  surpasses  that  of  the  Kentucky  mare  in  point  of  merit,  and  one 
of  the  quarters  was  a  trifle  faster,  when  Mascot  stepped  from  the  half  to  the  third  of  the 
gold-tipped  posts  in  29^  seconds.  The  effort  told  on  him  so  much  that  he  did  not  get  an- 
other heat  of  the  free.for-all  pace,  and  Flying  Jib,  who  carried  the  new  champion  along,  was 
also  defeated  for  the  same  reason.  The  pair  went  lapped  to  the  quarter  in  32^  seconds, 
and  were  at  the  half  in  1:03^,  where  Mascot  drew  away  a  little.  The  Californian  closed 
from  there,  and  the  clip  became  terrific.  The  three-quarters  were  covered  in  1:33,  or  a 
1:58  clip,  and  Flying  Jib  was  at  Mascot's  shoulder  when  he  finished  in  2:04.  The  second 
heat  was  also  sensational,  but  rated  differently,  Flying  Jib  carrying  Mascot  to  the  quarter 
in  30^  seconds,  and  the  half  in  1:00^.  To  come  up  the  hill  at  a  two-minute  gait  tired 
the  pair,  but  Jib  had  enough  speed  left  to  out-finish  the  other  gelding  in  2:05^.  Mean- 
while McHenry  had  been  laying  Guy  up  to  the  flag,  and  cutting  him  loose  in  the  third  heat 
had  the  faster  pair  at  his  mercy.  Flying  Jib  made  the  gray  stallion  pace  the  third  heat  in 
2:06^,  and  the  fourth  in  2:08^.  Mascot  then  tried  to  redeem  himself,  and  was  closing 
on  Guy  in  the  last  quarter  of  the  fifth  heat,  when  he  rushed  to  the  pole,  so  that  Andrews 
could  not  pull  him  out  in  time  to  overhaul  the  leader.  Guy  was  under  the  whip,  but  came 
home  resolutely  in  2:08^,  making  five  heats  that  paralyzed  all  previous  averages  in  a  race, 
the  rate  being  2:06^.  There  is  little  doubt  if  the  judges  had  forced  McHenry  to  drive 
for  every  heat,  he  would  have  been  unable  to  win  the  race." 

Mascot,  whose  pedigree  we  give  in  full  on  another  page,  is  a  bay, 
foaled  in  1885,  and  is  now  owned  by  W.  P.  Taylor,  Buffalo,  N.  Y.  We 
present  his  portrait  through  the  courtesy  of  Breeder's  Gazette,  Chicago, 
Illinois. 

For  the  benefit  of  those  who  wish  to  know  the  leading  blood  lines 
in  the  stud,  we  give  the  following  list  of  sires  in  order  of  merit  at  the 
close  of  1892,  kindly  prepared  at  our  request  by  Mr.  S.  S.  Toman,  the 
genial  editor  of  the  American  Trotter,  Independence,  Iowa: 

NUMBER   IN    2:30    LIST. 

SIRE-  Trotters.     Pacers. 

ist,    Electioneer 131  i 

2nd,  Nutwood 82  12 

3rd,   Happy  Medium 80  4 

4th,    Red  Wilkes .69  14 

5th,    Geo.  Wilkes 71  7 

6th,    Onward 53  n 

7th,    Blue  Bull 56  5 

Before  leaving  this  chapter  it  may  be  well  to  explain  what  is  meant 
by  the  term  "Standard  Bred,"  as  applied  to  trotting  stock,  and  this  we 
do  by  inserting  in  full 

THE    STANDARD  OF    REGISTRATION, 

as  revised  and  adopted  by  the  American  Trotting  Register  Association, 
May  19,  1891: 

"  In  order  to  define  what  constitutes  a  standard-bred  horse,  and  to  establish  a  breed 


AMERICAN     TROTTERS.  83 

of  trotters  and  pacers  on  a  more  intelligent  basis,  the  following  rules  are  adopted  to  con- 
trol admission  to  the  records  of  pedigrees.  When  an  animal  meets  the  requirements  of 
admission  and  is  duly  registered,  it  shall  be  accepted  as  a  standard-bred  animal  : 

"First.  Any  trotting  stallion  that  has  a  record  of  two  minutes  and  thirty  seconds 
(2:30),  or  pacing  stallion  that  has  a  record  of  two  minutes  and  twenty-five  seconds  (2:25) 
or  better,  provided  any  of  his  get  has  a  record  of  2:35  trotting,  or  2:30  pacing,  or  better, 
or  provided  his  sire  or  dam  is  already  a  standard  animal. 

"Second.  Any  mare  or  gelding  that  has  a  trotting  record  of  2:30,  or  pacing  record 
of  2:25,  or  better. 

"Third.  Any  horse  that  is  the  sire  of  two  trotters  with  records  of  2:30,  or  two  pacers 
with  records  of  2:25,  or  one  trotter  with  a  record  of  2:30,  and  one  pacer  with  a  record  of 
2:25,  or  better. 

"Fourth.  Any  horse  that  is  the  sire  of  one  trotter  with  a  record  of  2:30,  or  one 
pacer  with  a  record  of  2:25,  or  better,  providing  he  has  either  of  the  following  additional 
qualifications:  i.  A  trotting  record  of  2:35  or  a  pacing  record  of  2:30,  or  better.  2.  Is 
the  sire  of  two  other  animals  with  trotting  records  of  2:35,  or  pacing  records  of  2:30,  or 
one  trotter  with  a  record  of  2:35,  and  one  pacer  with  a  record  of  2:30,  or  better.  3  Has 
a  sire  or  dam  that  is  already  a  standard  animal. 

"Fifth.  Any  mare  that  has  produced  a  trotter  with  a  record  of  2:30,  or  pacer  with  a 
record  of  2:25,  or  better. 

"Sixth.   The  progeny  of  a  standard  horse  when  out  of  a  standard  mare. 

"  Seventh.  The  female  progeny  of  a  standard  horse  when  out  of  a  mare  by  a  stand- 
ard horse. 

'  'Eighth.  The  female  progeny  of  a  standard  horse  when  out  of  a  mare  whose  dam  is 
a  standard  mare. 

"Ninth.  Any  mare  that  has  a  trotting  record  of  2:35,  or  a  pacing  record  of  2:30,  or 
better,  whose  sire  or  dam  is  a  standard  animal." 


84 


AMERICAN     TROTTERS. 


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AMERICAN     TROTTERS.  85 

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Chapter   XV. 


ORLOFF   TROTTERS. 

The  Orloff  family  of  trotting  horses  derives  its  name  from  the  Rus- 
sian Count  Alexis  Orloff  Tschismensky,  an  enthusiastic  lover  of  horses, 
who  is  credited  with  producing  the  breed. 

In  1775,  he  imported  the  gray  Arabian  stallion,  Smetanxa — a  horse 
of  unusual  size  and  power.  This  horse  was  used  on  a  Danish  mare,  the 
produce  being  a  stallion  known  as  Polkan  First,  who  in  turn  produced 
from  a  Dutch  mare  the  horse  Bars  First — commonly  regarded  as  the 
progenitor  of  the  breed.  Lubezney  First,  Lebed  First  and  Dobroy  First, 
three  sons  of  Bars  First,  have  given  character  to  the  blood  of  their  sire, 
and  helped  to  fix  the  trotting  instinct.  The  count  selected  his  stallions 
invariably  from  the  foundation  stock  just  noted,  but  resorted  to  the  bet- 
ter class  of  English  and  Dutch  mares  whenever  practicable. 

The  Orloff,  like  the  American  Trotter,  is  a  made-up  animal,  but  he 
shows  neither  the  speed  at  short  distance,  nor  the  endurance  on  a  long 
stretch,  which  characterizes  so  many  of  our  American  Trotters.  A  few 
have  been  brought  to  America,  but  they  are  by  no  means  generally 
known. 

The  prevailing  color  is  gray,  but  blacks  are  common  and  bays  are 
frequently  found.  Possibly  the  Orloff  may  at  some  future  time  be  used 
to  relieve  the  inbred  condition  into  which  certain  families  of  our  Ameri- 
can Trotters  are  in  danger  of  falling ;  but  as  it  stands  now,  the  American 
is  so  far  superior  to  the  Russian  Trotter  that  our  own  breeders  of  trotting 
stock  have  every  reason  to  be  well  satisfied  with  the  magnificent  results 
already  reached,  and  should  feel  encouraged  to  put  forth  still  greater 
energies  in  the  future. 


Chapter  XVI. 


SHETLAND    PONIES. 

They  are,  as  the  name  indicates,  natives  of  the  Shetland  Islands, 
north  of  Scotland.  As  to  their  origin,  one  thing  may  be  stated  without 
fear  of  contradiction,  and  that  is:  No  trace  of  racing  (Thoroughbred) 
blood  has  ever  found  its  way  into  their  breeding. 

Their  resemblance  to  the  ponies  of  Scandinavia,  and  the  further  fact 

90 


SHETLAND     PONIES. 


3    (A 

IS 


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3-  z 

^  m 

2  W 


Q2  SHETLAND     PONIES. 

that  the  Islands  were  first  taken  possession  of  by  Scandinavian  plunder- 
ers, and  for  a  long  time  (until  the  Fifteenth  Century)  remained  attached 
to  the  crown  of  Norway,  furnish  good  evidence  that  the  Shetland  Ponies 
are  of  Norwegian  derivation.  Tradition,  however,  has  it,  that  some  of 
the  horses  carried  by  the  great  Spanish  Armada — many  vessels  of  which 
were  wrecked  off  the  rugged  Scotland  coast — escaped  to  the  Islands,  and 
have  since  left  their  impress  upon  the  native  pony  stock;  the  tradition 
has  the  color  of  probability,  more  than  this  cannot  be  definitely  stated. 
Whatever  their  origin  or  subsequent  mixture  with  other  breeds,  the  Shet- 
lands  show  in  appearance  and  character  the  well-known  influence  of  se- 
vere climate  and  scanty  food.  They  are  extremely  hardy,  very  small — 
standing  about  8  to  n  hands  high;  shaggy  coated,  with  bushy  mane 
and  tail;  always  round  and  smooth  in  the  barrel;  with  short,  fine  legs 
and  round,  handsome  feet.  All  colors  are  found,  but  brown,  black  and 
spotted — black  and  white  or  brown  and  white,  are  most  common. 

The  American  Shetland  Pony  Club  has  been  recently  organized,  and 
a  Stud  Book  started.  Animals  are  admitted  to  registration  under  the 
following  rules,  sent  in  by  Mortimer  Levering,  LaFayette,  Ind.,  the  pres- 
ent secretary: 

"Shetland  Ponies  46  inches  or  less  in  height  will  be  admitted  as  follows  : 

"i.  Shetland  Pony  by  sire  and  out  of  dam  both  recorded  in  the  Shetland  Pony 
Club  Stud  Book. 

"2.  Shetland  Pony  having  four  top  crosses,  in  each  case  by  imported  sire,  or  by  sire 
recorded  in  the  Shetland  Pony  Club  Stud  Book. 

"  3.  Shetland  Pony  examined  and  approved  by  the  examining  committee,  as  provided 
by  rule  6  of  Additional  Rules  Governing  Entries." 

The  Shetlands  are  the  safest  and  most  popular  ponies  for  children's 
use,  and  large  numbers  of  them  are,  and  have  be£n,  annually  brought  to 
the  United  States  for  this  purpose.  They  are  remarkably  intelligent, 
and  can  be  readily  trained.  Their  hardiness  and  muscular  endurance 
have  always  been  marked ;  but  they  have  little  or  no  practical  value  out- 
side of  that  already  mentioned.  When  bred  in  America,  the  superior 
food  and  attention  given  causes  a  considerable  increase  in  size  ;  and — 
since  the  smallest  ponies  are  in  greatest  demand — this  fact  has  led 
to  the  practice,  quite  common  at  the  present  time,  of  importing  as  wanted 
for  sale,  direct  from  the  Islands. 

The  illustration — engraved  after  a  sketch  from  life,  expressly  for 
our  use — is  an  accurate  representation  of  the  breed. 


Chapter  XVII. 


WELSH  PONIES. 

Of  late  years  quite  a  number  of  these  beautiful  little  fellows  have 
found  their  way  to  the  United  States ;  and,  like  the  Shetlands,  are  in 
great  demand  for  children's  use.  Of  their  origin  Low  says: 

"The  mountains  of  Wales  in  like  manner  give  birth  to  a  race  of  small  horses 
adapted  to  an  elevated  country  of  scanty  herbage,  *  *  *  which  must  be  supposed 
to  be  pure  with  respect  to  their  descent  from  the  pristine  race." 

The  typical  Welsh  Pony  stands  about  13  hands  high,  has  a  small 
head,  high  withers,  smooth,  rounded,  close  coupled  body,  with  neat, 
flat  legs  and  sound  feet.  Color  varies;  bays  and  browns,  especially  the 
lighter  shades,  are  common,  and  blacks  and  other  colors  are  frequently 
found. 


Chapter  XVIII. 


EXMOOR    PONIES. 

• 

This  breed — a  few  of  which  have  been  imported  to  the  United 
States — has  its  origin  in  the  Exmoor  Forest  region,  lying  partly  in 
Devonshire  and  partly  in  Somersetshire,  England.  They  are  doubtless 
descended  from  the  same  original  stock  as  the  Welsh  breed,  but  differ 
considerably  from  the  latter  at  the  present  time. 

They  are  shaggy,  long  haired,  stand  about  12  or  13  hands  high, 
and,  although  not  so  smooth  and  attractive  in  appearance  as  the  Welsh, 
are  said  to  be  remarkably  hardy.  Bays,  browns  and  blacks  are  the 
most  common  colors. 


93 


Chapter  XIX. 


MEXICAN    PONIES. 

{Mustangs. ) 

Since  the  conquest  of  Mexico  by  the  Spaniards  (1519-22)  a  race  of 
so-called  Mexican  horses  has  been  established,  differing  from  their 
Spanish  ancestry  only  in  those  things  naturally  affected  by  the  semi- 
wild  state  in  which  they  have  existed,  and  the  consequent  lack  of  arti- 
ficial care  and  attention.  From  Mexico  they  scattered  gradually  north- 
ward until  the  entire  Southwest,  including  Texas,  New  Mexico  and 
Arizona,  was  supplied  with  a  native  or  wild  horse  stock,  from  the  same 
original  source.  Doubtless,  also,  the  Mexican  breed  has  contributed 
largely  to  form  the  pony  breeds  of  the  more  northern  Indian  tribes. 
Discussion  of  this  point  will  come  more  properly,  however,  under  the 
next  heading,  which  see. 

In  Texas  the  Mexican  Ponies  have  been  commonly  called  "Mus- 
tangs," and  it  is  by  this  name  that  they  have  become  notorious  as  the 
most  ill-tempered,  unmanageable,  but,  withal,  most  wiry,  tough  and 
enduring  specimens  of  the  equine  race  to  be  found. 

In  height  they  stand  about  12  to  13  or  14  hands,  weighing  from 
600  to  800  pounds;  all  colors  are  found,  but  the  colors  which  might 
perhaps  be  called  characteristic  of  the  breed  are  yellow  clay,  smoky  dun 
and  mouse,  with  usually  a  darker  stripe  along  the  middle  of  the  back. 
The  various  shades  of  roan  are  quite  common  ;  white  or  pink  roans 
nearly  always  showing  a  skin  of  the  same  color  at  the  nose  and  on  inside 
of  thighs;  and  spotted  ponies — << paints" — are  frequently  found. 

The  prominent  characteristic  of  the  Mexican  Mustang  lies  in  his 
wonderful  powers  of  endurance.  He  will  carry  a  heavy  man  on  his  back, 
and  make  a  distance  each  day,  for  a  month  or  six  weeks'  journey,  tha 
would  tax  the  powers  of  the  best  Kentucky  Thoroughbred.  As  to  their 
viciousness  or  ill-temper,  about  which  so  much  has  been  written,  we 
think  it  entirely  overdrawn.  Mustang  colts,  taken  up  when  two  years 
old,  and  handled  in  the  same  manner  that  eastern  horsemen  handle 
colts  of  higher  market  value,  will  show  a  disposition  entirely  different 
from  the  wild,  vicious  temper  commonly  imputed  to  them.  Indeed,  the 
reverse  is  also  true,  since  it  is  a  well-known  fact  that  among  "Ameri- 
can "  horses — as  the  larger  improved  horses  brought  from  the  east  are 
called — or  their  descendants  on  the  range  are  found  the  worst  speci- 

94 


MEXICAN     PONIES    (MUSTANGS.) 


95 


96  MUSTANGS — INDIAN     PONIES. 

mens  of  the  "bucking"  or  "pitching"  type.  While  the  tendency  of 
running  wild  is  always  toward  wildness,  if  not  viciousness,  yet  we 
believe  the  notorious  Mustang  disposition  is  largely  a  product  of  very 
poor  methods  of  breaking  and  handling. 

Before  leaving  this  subject,  it  may  be  of  interest  to  note  a  remark- 
able case  of  prolonged  gestation,  reported  by  Mr.  Z.  T.  Moore,  of 
Traer,  la.,  in  the  Breeder's  Gazette  of  Chicago.  The  mare  is  said  to  be 
a  Mustang;  in  1887  she  carried  her  foal  377  days,  and  in  1888  her  foal 
was  retained  389  days — foals  in  both  instances  doing  well.  The  average 
period  of  gestation  for  mares  under  domestication  rarely  exceeds  350  to 
360  days ;  but  it  is  commonly  observed  that  mares  of  any  breed,  as  a 
rule,  carry  their  foals  longer  when  allowed  to  breed  and  range  in  pasture 
without  care  or  restraint,  than  when  kept  up  and  favored  with  extra  care 
and  attention.  We  have  no  doubt  that,  if  statistics  could  be  as  care- 
fully kept  of  the  service  and  birth  dates  among  semi-wild  horses  as  is 
done  among  careful  breeders  of  improved  stock,  we  should  find  a 
marked  difference  in  the  average  length  of  gestation. 

The  illustration  was  engraved  expressly  for  our  use,  from  a  photo- 
graph taken  at  Laredo,  Texas,  and  is  a  fair  representation  of  the 
modern  Mexican  Pony.  Mr.  E.  H.  Sauvignet,  of  Laredo,  has  our 
thanks  for  assistance  in  securing  the  photograph. 


Chapter  XX. 


INDIAN     PONIES. 

As  noted  in  the  preceding  chapter,  Indian  Ponies  doubtless  trace 
in  direct  line  to  a  more  or  less  remote  Mexican  ancestry.  Indeed,  the 
horse  stock  of  the  tribes  of  Western  Texas,  New'  Mexico  and  Arizona 
is  nothing  if  not  Mexican;  but  of  the  more  northern  tribes,  it  is  probable 
that  another  factor  has  been  potent  in  forming  the  breed.  That  the 
other  factor  must  be  sought  in  northern  latitudes  is  beyond  question, 
and  we  are  convinced  —  after  careful,  continued  observation  of  the  ponies 
belonging  to  the  various  "Reservation"  tribes  —  that  the  Canadian 
Pony,  a  descendant  of  the  small  horse  stock  of  France,  imported  to 
Canada  at  an  early  date,  is  the  animal  that  must  bear  the  responsibility. 
We  adopt  this  conclusion  for  several  reasons,  chief  among  them  being 
the  fact  that  Mustang  colors  are  rarely  found  among  Indian  Ponies 
proper  —  the  latter  showing  a  great  predominance  of  dark  bay,  brown 
and  spotted  (bay  and  white  or  brown  and  white),  and  the  further  fact 
that  their  conformation  is  decidedly  different.  The  spotted  marking  is 


INDIAN     PONIES. 


97 


98  INDIAN     PONIES. 

quite  common,  and  it  is  difficult  to  trace  its  source,  unless  we  accept  the 
common  belief  that  it  is  derived  from  horses  inhabiting  the  mountainous 
parts  of  Persia  and  adjoining  countries,  through  the  Spanish  and  French 
ancestry. 

Indian  Ponies  are,  as  a  rule,  kind  and  gentle,  enduring  as  much  in 
the  colder  regions  of  the  Northwest  as  do  their  Mustang  relations  in  the 
Southwest.  There  is  very  little  ill-temper  observed  among  northern 
Indian  Ponies:  a  simple  fact — whether  due  to  different  treatment  or  to 
modification  by  Canadian  crosses,  we  do  not  pretend  to  say. 

DESCRIPTION     AND     CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color,  dark  bay,  brown  and  spotted  (bay  and  white  and  brown  and 
white),  with  almost  always  darker  points.  Some  of  these  ponies  are  a 
most  beautiful  blood-bay,  with  black  points,  and,  when  they  can  be 
obtained,  make  excellent  saddle  ponies.  (As  a  rule  the  better  class  of 
Indians  are  loth  to  part  with  their  ponies,  and  even  when  a  sale  has 
been  completed,  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  the  Indian  to  become  sick 
of  his  bargain  before  the  pony  is  out  of  sight,  and  insist  on  buying  it 
back  again.) 

In  height  they  stand  about  12  to  13  or  14  hands,  weighing  from  650 
to  850  pounds;  they  are  rather  more  blockily  built  than  Mustangs,  the 
cannons  are  wider,  and  the  pasterns  more  on  the  upright  order. 

The  illustration  was  engraved  from  a  photograph  taken  in  the 
Chickasaw  Nation,  Indian  Territory,  and  we  take  this  occasion  to  return 
thanks  to  Mr.  E.  J.  Smith,  of  Woodford,  I.  T.  (now  of  Denison,  Texas), 
for  his  kind  assistance  in  securing  it.  The  ponies  represented  weigh 
about  700  pounds  each,  and  are  said  by  the  Indians  to  be  purely  Indian 
bred  as  far  back  as  their  ancestry  is  known.  The  boy  holding  them  is 
a  i /-year-old  full-blooded  Chickasaw,  by  name  John  Turnbull. 


Chapter   XXI. 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,    CARE    AND    MANAGE- 
MENT   OF    HORSES. 

In  selecting  a  horse,  more  actual  knowledge  is  needed  than  can  be 
secured  from  books  alone.  The  accurate  judge  of  horse-flesh  is  one  who 
has  made  the  subject  a  practical,  continued  study  for  years,  and  who 
has  at  command  not  only  the  close  knowledge  gained  by  experience, 
but  a  good  understanding,  as  well,  of  the  principles  which  underlie 
Force  and  Action,  applied  in  the  movements  of  the  horse.  For  an 
exhaustive  discussion  of  this  subject,  the  reader  is  referred  to  any  one  of 
the  special  works  on  the  horse — especially  such  books  as  Sanders'  Horse 
Breeding,  and  Helm's  American  Roadsters  and  Trotting  Horses,  with 
which  he  is  doubtless  already  familiar.  We  can  only  undertake  to  give 
a  few  of  the  more  prominent  points,  which  may  possibly  aid  somewhat 
in  forming  an  intelligent  judgment. 

First.  For  draft,  a  horse  must  have  weight ;  he  may  have  fine 
action  also,  but  the  weight  he  must  have,  if  capable  of  long  pulls  before 
heavy  loads.  The  shoulders  should  be  upright  and  heavy  below,  in 
order  that  strain  on  the  traces  may  be  met  by  collar  resistance  at  such 
an  angle  as  will  utilize  all  of  the  force  exerted.  The  draft  horse  should 
stand  fairly  high  in  front  (rather  prominent  withers),  and  must  have  a 
chest  of  ample  width  to  permit  free  expansion  of  lungs  when  under  any 
temporary  strain.  The  legs  are  best  short,  and  should  never  exhibit 
that  smooth,  puffy  appearance  which  always  indicates  a  tendency  to  form 
fat  at  the  expense  of  muscle;  the  cannons  should  be  flat,  and  the  joints, 
especially,  hard  and  firmly  bound  together.  As  we  have  stated,  fine 
action  is  not  absolutely  necessary,  but  for  farm  use  a  good,  sprightly 
walk  is  certainly  desirable.  Right  here  we  may  say,  that  a  horse  of 
1,200  to  1,400  pounds  weight  is  about  the  heaviest  that  will  be  found 
profitable  on  the  ordinary  farm ;  the  heavier  animals  will  always  be 
in  demand  for  a  different  purpose,  and  an  intelligent  judgment  will 
select  in  reference  to  the  purpose  for  which  desired.  To  be  too  "fiery" 
or  "high  strung"  is  an  objection;  the  draft  horse  should  be  pre- 
eminently an  animal  of  quiet — yet  not  sluggish — temperament.  A 
strong,  even  puller  will  resist  fatigue  better,  and  do  more  service. 

Second.  For  speed,  the  shoulders  should  be  slanting,  the  withers 
medium  to  low,  the  loin  and  rump  high,  and  the  hind  quarters  long  and 

99 


IOO  HINTS    ON    SELECTION,     CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    HORSES. 

furnished  with  powerful  muscles.  In  the  race  horse,  the  propelling 
power  comes  from  the  rear,  and  a  greater  mistake  could  not  be  made 
than  to  select  for  running,  a  horse  at  all  deficient  in  these  parts,  no  mat- 
ter how  fully  he  might  fill  the  judgment  in  other  respects.  The  legs  must 
have  some  length,  and  here  may  be  added  double  caution  as  to  their  qual- 
ity; not  a  particle  of  surplus  flesh  or  fat  should  be  apparent,  and  joints  in 
particular  must  be  closely  knit  together.  The  English  government  has 
a  set  of  rules  for  the  use  of  those  who  select  horses  for  cavalry  service, 
and  we  insert  them  here;  they  are  called  "  Points  for  Rejection,"  but 
will  answer  equally  well  as  points  for  selection  : 

"  Reject  a  horse  whose  fore-legs  are  not  straight;  they  will  not  stand  wear.  Stand 
behind  the  horse  as  it  walks  away  from  you,  and  you  will  be  able  to  notice  these  defects,  if 
they  exist. 

"  Reject  a  horse  that  is  light  below  the  knee,  especially  if  immediately  below  the 
knee  ;  the  conformation  is  essentially  weak. 

"  Or  a  horse  with  long,  or  short  or  upright  pasterns;  long  pasterns  are  subject  to 
sprains;  short  or  upright  pasterns  make  a  horse  unpleasant  to  ride,  and  on  account  of  ex- 
tra concussions,  are  apt  to  cause  ossific  deposits. 

"  Or  a  horse  with  toes  turned  in  or  out.  The  twist  generally  occurs  at  the  fetlock. 
Toes  turned  out  are  more  objectionable  than  toes  turned  in.  When  toes  turn  out  the  fet- 
locks are  generally  turned  in,  and  animals  so  formed  are  very  apt  to  cut  or  brush.  Both, 
however,  are  weak  formations. 

"  Reject  a  horse  whose  hind  legs  are  too  far  behind;  good  propelling  power  will  be 
wanting,  and  disease  as  a  result  may  be  expected  in  the  hocks.  And  a  horse  which  <^oes 
either  very  wide  or  very  close  behind,  and  one  with  very  straight  or  very  bent  hocks;  the 
former  cause  undue  concussion;  the  latter  are  apt  to  give  way, 

"  Reject  a  horse  that  is  '  split-up' — that  is,  shows  much  daylight  between  the  thighs; 
propelling  power  comes  from  behind,  and  must  be  deficient  in  horses  without  due  muscu- 
lar development  between  the  thighs. 

"  Reject  a  horse  with  flat  or  over  large  feet,  or  with  very  small  feet;  medium  sized 
are  best. 

"  Also,  a  horse  with  one  foot  smaller  than  another." 

Concerning  mental  aptitude  and  physical  conformation  as  related 
to  selection  of  the  horse  for  speed  at  certain  gaits,  we  insert  herewith 
the  major  portion  of  an  article  on  "  The  Development  of  the  American 
Trotter- — A  Study  in  Animal  Physics",  prepared  by  the  author,  read  June 
14,  1892,  before  the  Texas  Academy  of  Science,  and  printed  in  the 
"Transactions"  of  the  Academy: 

«*  *  *  *  In  the  development  of  our  own  peculiar  breeds,  the 
American  Trotter,  the  pacer  and  the  American  saddle  horse,  we  have 
proved  two  things:  First,  that  artificial  gaiting  may  be  made  permanent 
and  become  transmissible,  or  subject  to  the  laws  of  heredity;  and  sec- 
ond, that  by  solution  of  the  gaiting  problem  the  new  world  has  suc- 
ceeded where  the  old  world  always  failed,  save  in  the  single  instance  of 
the  Russian  Orloff — a  breed  in  no  way  equaling  that  finished  product 
of  the  breeder's  art,  the  American  Trotter.  Besides  a  feeling  of  pride 
in  the  fact  that  our  breeders  have  succeeded  beyond  their  most  sanguine 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,    CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    HORSES.  IOI 

hopes,  a  close  study  of  the  methods  pursued  by  leading  trainers,  and  the 
physical  and  mental  characters  of  the  winning  horses  at  either  gait, 
brings  up  matters  of  interest  to  all,  and  of  especial  moment  to  the  stu- 
dent of  animal  physics. 

"Since  the  early  years  of  the  present  century  (1806),  when  a  horse 
of  unknown  breeding  trotted  a  full  mile  under  saddle  in  the  almost  in- 
credible time  of  2:59  (but  one  second  better  than  three  minutes),  the 
records  show  a  series  of  descending  steps — each  step  a  tablet  to  the 
memory  of  some  once  famous  horse. 

"Flora  Temple,  the  first  to  beat  2:20  in  1859,  Dexter,  Goldsmith 
Maid,  Rarus,  St.  Julien,  Jay  Eye  See,  Maud  S.  and  Sunol,  the  present 
queen  of  the  trotting  turf  by  virtue  of  her  2:08^,*  have  each  in  turn  low- 
ered the  world's  mile  record  at  the  trot;  while  among  pacers  the  record 
d*-ops  from  that  of  Roanoke — first  to  beat  2:20  in  1852 — past  Pocahon- 
tas,  Billy  Boyce,  Sleepy  Tom,  Little  Brown  Jug  and  Johnston,  to  the 
2:06  of  Direct,  the  black  California  wonder,  that  has  earned  and  now 
holds  the  world's  mile  record  at  the  pace  f.  *  *  *  Brain  capacity 
in  the  horse  is  of  vital  moment  to  the  trainer,  as  is  brain  capacity  in  the 
student  to  the  teachers  under  whom  he  seeks  instruction.  The  sluggish, 
stupid  brain  of  dullard,  horse  or  human,  will  never  show  that  firm  yet 
plastic  nature  fitted  best  to  carry  knowledge.  The  brain  one-sided  in  its 
make-up  may  receive  instruction  fairly  well,  but  when  forced  to  execute 
beyond  a  certain  limit,  falls  by  reason  of  its  lack  of  balance,  and  fails  to 
hold  the  mastery  at  the  very  moment  when  the  muscles,  strained  beyond 
the  power  to  respond  in  reflex  action,  most  have  need  of  mind  control.  A 
first  essential  for  the  horse  that  carries  highest  speed  at  artificial  gait  is 
a  brain  with  ample  room  for  strain  in  mental  exercise — a  perfect  poise, 
that  neither  loses  interest  by  lack  of  work  in  competition,  nor  overthrows 
its  balance  by  undue  excitement.  The  horse  that  "keeps  his  head"  can 
be  urged  to  greater  effort  and  will  break  but  rarely,  catching  quickly  at 
the  gait  desired  in  obedience  to  the  driver's  will;  while  the  horse  with 
mental  poise  at  best  uncertain,  carries  his  gait  at  moments  to  terrific 
speed,  but  just  as  surely  follows  up  by  breaking,  losing  time,  and  possi- 
bly a  race,  before  he  can  be  righted  and  held  down  to  steady  work. 

"I  have  no  patience  with  that  narrow  view  which  credits  brain  in 
so-called  lower  animals  only  as  an  'instinct.'  The  horse  that  bears  the 
highest  training  goes  beyond  an  instinct,  and  shows  a  true  brain  action 
at  once  receptive  and  controlling  in  its  functions.  It  cannot  equal  hu- 
man mind,  'tis  true,  but  to  call  it  '  instinct '  merely,  is  an  insult  to  the 
horse  creation. 


*  Since  dethroned  by  Nancy  Hanks,  2:04,  and  beaten  also  as  to  record  by  the  stallions  Kremlin,  2:07^, 
and  Stamboul,  2:07%. 

t  Direct  still  holds  the  world's  mile  pacing  mark  for  stallions,  having  once  again  lowered  it  to  2:05^-2, 
but  the  world's  mile  pacing  record  is  now  held  by  the  gelding  Mascot,  2:04. 


IO2          HINTS     ON     SELECTION,     CARE     AND     MANAGEMENT     OK     HORSES. 

"Admitting,  as  a  first  essential,  brain  in  horse  as  well  as  human, 
we  may  ask,  is  there  a  second  necessary — a  sort  of  corollary  to  the  first 
— wherein  the  tape-line  and  the  practiced  eye  may  be  relie'd  on  to  select 
a  future  winner  at  the  trot  or  pace  ?  Can  we  find,  in  other  words,  some 
standard  shape  or  measurement  of  certain  parts,  without  which  highest 
speed  will  be  impossible  ?  Perhaps  no  other  subject  in  the  breeder's 
realm  brings  forward  such  opposing  forces  as  the  proposition  just  ad- 
vanced— nor  can  we  say  that  either  side  is  wholly  in  the  wrong.  Laws 
of  motion,  gravity  and  projectile  speed,  and  strength  by  leverage  of 
inert  matter,  have  been  investigated,  and  are  fairly  known  ;  but  when 
applied  to  life  and  vital  action  something  else  must  be  considered,  and 
the  strongest  rule,  as  based  on  theory  of  motion,  may  be  proved  only 
by  the  plain  exceptions  found.  To  say  that  quality  and  speed  in  trot- 
ters can  be  determined  by  the  tape-line  to  a  certainty  would  be  absurd 
at  best  ;  but  we  may  be  able  often  to  reject  the  horse  that  lacks  capacity 
to  trot  at  speed,  and  thus  save  time  and  spare  ourselves  the  disappoint- 
ment certain  to  result  from  training  trotters  that  can  never  trot.  Bear 
in  mind  that  best  of  form  must  not  be  taken  as  a  guaranty  of  speed  at 
either  trot  or  pace;  but  this  much  may  be  said  with  certainty,  if  he 
lack  the  form  demanded,  he  may  be  fast  and  game,  may  even  trot  well 
down  among  the  lower  'teens'  in  seconds  ;  but  the  records  of  the  world 
will  never  be  in  danger,  and  the  mark  he  does  attain  will  be  due  to  skill 
in  training  or  to  mental  impulse,  and  cannot  be  credited  to  shape  or 
trotting  leverage. 

"  Severe  exertion  of  the  muscles,  long  continued,  is  only  possible 
when  the  lungs  are  free  in  ample  chest  room.  This  we  find  best  illus- 
trated in  the  Thoroughbred  or  running  horse  ;  and  here  comes  in  an 
argument  for  the  use  of  running  blood  in  breeding  trotters,  which  so 
many  hold  in  favor.  The  highbred  horse — the  Thoroughbred — excels 
in  this  respect  beyond  all  question,  and  the  trotter  that  can  stand  the 
strain  of  long  heat  races  must  show  the  lung  development  of  a  Thor- 
oughbred, with  the  dilating  nostrils  and  the  clean-fleshed  throat  that 
indicate  the  perfect  freedom  of  the  breath. 

"  The  muscles  of  the  leg,  aside  from  leverage,  which  depends  on 
length  of  bone,  must  be  developed  to  the  point  of  balanced  tension, 
and  especially  be  trained  to  work  at  all  times  absolutely  under  brain 
control. 

"  The  leverage  of  motion  in  the  horse  rests  almost  solely  in  the 
quarters,  front  and  rear.  Front  leverage  (see  illustration)  is  perhaps  of 
lesser  moment,  from  the  fact  that  the  main  propelling  power  comes 
from  rear  development ;  but  the  trotting  leverage  in  front  is  still  of  great 
importance,  since  by  it  alone  we  may  determine  reach  and  stroke,  or 
smoothness  of  the  stride.  From  a  mechanical  point  of  view  the  lever- 
age in  front  presents  an  interesting  double  or  compound  lever,  lifting  of 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,    CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    HORSES. 


103 


the  knee  being  due  to  a  lever  of  the  third  class,  where  the  power  acts 
between  the  fulcrum  and  resistance  ;  while  the  bending  of  the  knee,  or 
flexure  of  the  cannon  on  the  fore-arm,  shows  a  lever  of  the  same  class, 
combined  with  pulley  action  of  the  tendons  at  the  knee.  If  the  fore-arm 
bone — the  Radius — be  long,  the  lifting  power  of  the  muscles  acting  on 
the  elbow  as  a  fulcrum  maets  a  greater  waight  resistance  at  the  knee, 
the  motion  must  be  slower,  and  the  knee  will  not  be  lifted  high,  as  when 
the  bona  is  shorter.  If,  too,  the  cannon  bone  be  short  in  proportion  to 


FRONT    LEVERAGE. 


the  fore-arm  the  necessity  for  high  knee  action  is  entirely  overcome,  and 
the  horse  will  have  an  easy  reaching  stride  that  covers  distance  without 
seeming  to  exert,  and  saves  the  feet  by  striking  lightly  even  at  the  high- 
est speed. 

"  The  reverse  proportion — short  fore-arm  and  relatively  longer  can- 
non bone — insures  a  high  and  pounding  action  of  the  knees  that  always 
tends  to  greater  wear  and  waste  of  muscle  energy,  as  well  as  damage  to 
feet  and  legs  by  heavy  pounding  when  the  horse  is  forced  to  travel  fast. 


104  HINTS    ON    SELECTION,     CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    HORSES. 

"Almost  all  the  line  descendants  of  old  Hambletonian  have  this 
easy  reaching  action,  and  the  measurements  of  leading  members  of  the 
family  show  a  uniformly  long  fore-arm  and  short  front  cannon,  which, 
together,  guarantee  the  smooth,  far-reaching  action  just  explained.  The 
Electioneers — descended  from  Electioneer,  the  greatest  son  of  Hamble- 
tonian— show  the  feature  strongest,  and  among  them  rest  the  records  of 
the  world  at  nearly  every  age  from  yearlings  up.  Hambletonian  himself, 
the  founder  of  the  Hambletonian  family,  and  the  horse  that  should  be 
credited  as  the  actual  founder  of  the  trotting  breed,  had  a  cannon 
measurement  of  n^,  fore-arm  of  20^  inches — a  ratio  of  1:1.783,  and 
this  ratio  is  exactly  reproduced  in  his  grandson  Ansel,  owned  by  Mr. 
Bonner  and  selected  by  him  as  the  then  best  son  of  Electioneer.  Sunol, 
the  best  daughter  of  Electioneer,  measures  10^  and  19^  inches  re- 
spectively for  cannon  bone  and  fore-arm — a  ratio  of  1:1.823.  Nancy 
Hanks,  by  Happy  Medium,  another  son  of  Hambletonian,  measures  10 
and  19  inches — a  ratio  of  1:1.9.  Her  knee  action  is  perfection,  and 
her  mile  in  2:09  *  on  a  regulation  track  is  almost  fairly  equal  to  the 
2:08^  of  Sunol  on  the  Stockton  kite. 

"  The  extreme  of  high  knee  action  was  illustrated  in  the  gait  of 
Smuggler — a  converted  pacer  of  undoubted  courage  and  recorded  trot- 
ting speed,  but  whose  every  motion  carried  a  suggestion  of  a  cyclone. 
He  measured  12  and  20  inches — a  ratio  of  1:1.666.  Helm  credits 
Smuggler  with  raising  the  knee  above  the  horizontal  to  an  angle  of  45 
degrees,  and  states  that  he  'strikes  the  ground  with  a  force  that  is  simply 
terrific.'  It  should  be  borne  in  mind,  however,  that  the  heavy  muscled 
shoulders,  high  withers  and  well  set  neck  which  made  him  pace  by  na- 
ture made  him  also  strike  with  added  weight  when  speeding  at  the  trot. 

"While  the  principle  of  speed  with  least  exertion  is  a  good  one 
always  to  be  kept  in  view,  we  should  not  forget  that  safety  lies  in  mid- 
dle ground  of  conformation.  The  extremely  short  front  cannon,  acting 
with  the  long  fofe-arm,  amounts  to  drag  or  dwelling  motion  and  may 
even  spring  the  knees  behind  the  vertical,  resulting  in  a  "  calf  -kneed  " 
horse — which  no  one  can  admire  and  few  will  care  to  use.  The  horse 
with  extra  short  fore-arm  and  long  front  cannon  will  finally  be  knee- 
sprung  almost  to  a  certainty — "buck-kneed"  and  stumbling  as  he 
walks,  a  perfect  picture  of  decrepitude.  (See  illustration.)  For  the 
stylish  coach  or  carriage  horse,  the  proud  high  stepper,  with  the  short 
fore-arm  and  relatively  longer  cannon,  will  be  greatly  in  demand;  but 
for  speed  and  stamina  in  long  heat  races,  tie  your  fortunes  to  the  horse 
that  reaches  out  in  front  and  moves  the  body  forward  on  an  even  line  at 
no  great  distance  from  the  ground. 

"Rear  leverage  in  the  horse  means  something  more  than  mucsle 
force  which  gives  propelling  power.  No  horse  can  carry  speed  at  any 

*  Since  reduced  to  2:04. 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,   CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    HORSES. 


105 


gait  with  insufficient  muscle,  but  the  natural  impulse  of  the  horse  to 
strike  a  gallop  when  he  wants  to  travel  faster  may  be  so  constrained  by 
certain  leverage  in  rear  development  as  to  make  the  artificial  gait  a 
second  nature,  breaking  only  when  the  brain  is  worried  or  the  speed  is 
carried  past  the  limit  which  the  horse  can  reach. 

"The  motion  of  the  hind  legs,  from  the  fetlocks  up,  is  modified  by 
four  distinct  true  levers,  each  one  more  or  less  complex  in  action — one 
especially  remarkable;  the  muscles  from  the  haunch  or  hip  bone  and 
the  Illiac  fossa  extend  in  two  directions — downward  to  the  stifle,  and 
down  and  backward  to  the  leg  bone  (Tibia)  and  the  hock.  The  upper 
thigh  bone  (Femur)  works  at  upper  end  against  the  lower  portion  of  the 
Illium  in  connection  with  the  other  pelvic  bones,  and  the  muscles  run- 
ning downward  from  the  hip,  together  with  the  bones  of  upper  thigh 


and  leg,  form  a  double  compound  lever — really  two  in  purpose — moving 
separately  or  jointly  in  obedience  to  the  brain's  direct  or  reflex  action. 
The  muscles  of  the  lower  thigh  which  flex  the  cannon  on  the  leg, 
present  a  simple  lever  of  the  third  class  (power  between  weight  and 
fulcrum)  combined  with  pulley  action  of  the  tendons  at  the  hock — exactly 
corresponding  to  the  leverage  in  front  which  bends  the  cannon  on  the 
fore-arm.  (See  illustration — Rear  Leverage.) 

"  If  the  distance  from  hip  to  hock  be  fairly  long  in  reference  to  the 
lower  thigh,  the  horse  will  stand  with  straiter  leg  at  rest,  and  the  hock 
will  swing  in  trotting  almost  underneath  the  stifle,  somewhat  with  the 
motion  of  a  pendulum.  Such  are  called  'line  trotters,'  and  our  best  ex- 
amples bear  the  blood  of  Hambletonian  through  his  son  Electioneer. 
Nearly  all  Electioneers  reach  out  in  front  and  trot  directly  on  a  line  be- 


106  HINTS    ON    SELECTION,     CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF      HORSES. 

hind,  the  hind  foot  passing  underneath  the  front,  and  placing  squarely 
with  the  body. 

"The  Knoxes  of  New  England  illustrate  extremely  narrow  trotting, 
passing  hocks  in  motion  very  close,  and  barely  missing  interference. 
The  thigh  is  very  short,  the  length  from  hip  to  hock  is  relatively  long. 
They  are  descended  from  ahorse  called  General  Knox — standing  15  hands 
2  inches,  and  with  a  thigh  but  20^  inches. 

"The  reverse  of  this  proportion,  longer  thigh  and  relatively  shorter 
length  from  hip  to  hock,  compels  the  horse  to  travel  wide  behind — 
swinging  out  the  hocks  in  motion  to  avoid  necessity  for  greater  elevation 
of  the  stifle.  The  extreme  in  wide  hock  action  showed  in  Duroc,  with 
a  thigh  24^  as  compared  with  length  from  hip  to  hock  of  only  39 — a 
ratio  of  1:1.592.  All  of  his  descendants,  to  the  present  day,  show  Duroc 
blood  in  length  of  thigh,  and  travel  with  that  open,  straddling  gait  which 
such  a  conformation  makes  imperative. 

"  Hambletonian  showed  the  middle  ground  in  ratio,  both  lines  be- 
ing long,  but  lengthened  so  that  each  might  correlate  the  other's  action 
and  insure  'line  trotting'  to  perfection.  His  measurements  were  24  and 
41  respectively  for  thigh  and  hip  to  hock — a  ration  of  1:1.708,  and  his 
best  descendants  show  a  similar  proportion.  Nancy  Hanks,  already 
mentioned  as  the  daughter  of  a  son  of  Hambletonian  (Happy  Medium), 
measures  21^  and  38 — a  ratio  of  1:1.747.  Ansel,  by  another  son  (Elec- 
tioneer), measures  23^  and  40^2 — a  ratio  of  1:1.723.  Maud  S.,  by  Har- 
old (one  of  Hambletonian' s  sons)  measures  23^  and  40 — a  ratio  of 
1:1.684 — and  is  said  to  have  an  almost  perfect  action.  Sunol,  by  Elec- 
tioneer, has  a  longer  thigh  and  therefore  has  a  longer  stride,  and  carries 
speed  at  somewhat  wider  gait  than  most  of  the  Electioneers.  Her  meas- 
urements are  24^  and  40 — a  ratio  of  1:1.632.  Nearly  all  the  offspring 
of  the  so-called  'Star  cross'  in  the  Hambletonian  family  show  the  blood 
of  Duroc  through  his  son  American  Star.  A  horse  '  Star  gaited'  trots 
with  well  spread  hocks  and  carries  speed  without  a  chance  of  inter- 
ference, front  or  rear. 

"But  by  far  the  most  important  trotting  leverage  remains  to  be  con- 
sidered: length  of  Metatarsal  bone  (the  cannon  of  the  hind  leg),  as  com- 
pared with  length  from  hip  to  hock.  As  a  rule  the  horse  with  hock 
placed  low — that  is,  with  short  hind  cannon — carries  speed  to  some  ex- 
tent by  nature  at  the  trot;  while  the  horse  with  hock  placed  high — that 
is,  with  long  hind  cannon — is  a  galloper  from  impulse.  Do  not  under- 
stand by  this  that  a  horse  with  fairly  long  hind  cannon  cannot  carry 
trotting  speed — far  from  it;  many  a  horse  that  lacks  the  best  essentials 
for  perfection  at  the  trotting  gait,  by  long  and  carefrl  training,  proper 
balancing  by  shoes  and  toe  weights,  and  restraint  by  straps  and  hobbles, 
may  be  trained  to  trot  at  speed;  but  the  time  is  past  when  trotting  in- 
terests can  be  sustained  by  training  and  manipulation  only.  The  impulse 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,    CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    HORSES. 


107 


to  trot — the  'instinct,'  if  you  will — must  be  controlled  in  great  degree  by 
conformation  of  the  parts  concerned,  combined  with  mental  aptitude. 
Both  these  essentials  for  the  future  trotter  may  be  fixed  by  well  known 
laws  of  breeding,  and  become  established  features  of  the  future  trotting 
breed. 

"That   an   animal   with  long   hind   cannon  will   be   a  galloper   by 
nature,  and  with  short,  a  trotter,  is  shown  most  clearly  by  a  study  of 


REAR     LEVERAGE. 

the  measurements  and  gaits  of  those  wild  animals  with  which  we  are 
familiar.  The  elephant,  whose  gait  is  nothing  but  a  trot,  albeit  verging 
toward  a  singlefoot,  in  spite  of  his  enormous  size  and  length  of  leg  has 
hock  placed  almost  on  the  ground — a  cannon  bone  no  longer  than  its 
breadth,  and  never  to  exceed  five  inches.  A  little  study  of  the  parts 
concerned  will  satisfy  the  most  incredulous  that  the  gait  which  he 


108         HINTS     ON     SELECTION,     CARE     AND     MANAGEMENT     OF     HORSES. 

assumes  by  nature  is  a  matfer  not  o-f  choice  but  of  necessity — he  could 
not  gallop  if  he  would.  H-is  leverage  has  been  wisely  placed  to  carry 
the  weight  of  his  ungainly  body,  and  his  speed  becomes  a  matter  wholly 
secondary.  The  long,  strong  muscles  reaching  from  his  hip  to  hock 
run  almost  parallel  to  the  bones  of  upper  thigh  and  leg,  and  could 
hardly  be  expected  to  exert  sufficient  force  for  lifting  such  enormous 
quarters  briskly  as  in  galloping ;  the  motion  must  be  swinging — not 
propelling — a  condition  which  the  trot  fulfills  exactly. 

"The  other  extreme — the  long  hind  cannon  and  the  corresponding 
pushing  or  propelling  gait,  the  gallop — may  be  found  in  all  those  ani- 
mals of  well-known  speed,  as  deer  and  antelope,  jack  rabbits,  and  the 
like.  Their  natural  gait,  at  anything  beyond  a  walk  in  speed,  is  known 
to  be  a  gallop,  and  the  conformation  correlates  the  gait.  The  prong- 
horned  antelope  {Antilocapra  Americana)  of  Northwest  Texas,  rarely  ever 
known  to  trot,  although  but  31^2  inches  high,  displays  a  cannon  meas- 
urement of  12^  inches  as  compared  with  length  from  hip  to  hock  of 
16^,  a  ratio  of  but  1:1.3. 

"Just  what  ratio  in  this  lower  lever  will  be  most  conducive  to  the 
trotting  gait  can  be  determined  only  by  a  study  of  the  measurements  of 
well  known  trotting  horses  now  before  the  public,  noting  the  peculiar 
points  of  interest  in  their  ways  of  going,  and  especially  their  tendencies 
to  break  when  urged  to  highest  speed.  Sunol  measures  17^  and  40 
respectively  for  hind  cannon  and  length  from  hip  to  hock,  a  ratio  of 
1:2.285.  Her  hock  is  very  low,  the  cannon  extra  short,  and  her  mile  in 
2:08^  bears  witness  to  her  speed  capacity.  Ansel,  also  by  Electioneer, 
shows  nearly  equal  measurement,  a  ratio  of  1:2.222.  Delmarch,  by 
Hambrino,  measures  i7/^  and  38^,  a  ratio  of  1:2.232.  Jack,  the 
steady,  gray  campaigner  owned  by  Mr.  Forbes,  measures  17)^  and  37,  a 
ratio  of  1:2.114.  Mary  Marshal  measures  18  and  39,  a  ratio  of  1:2.167; 
and  Allerton,  the  king  of  racing  stallions,*  measures  17  and  39,  a  ratio 
of  1:2.294. 

"Nearly  all  the  great  celebrities  at  present  on  the  track  show  can- 
non not  quite  half  as  long  as  length  from  hip  to  hock;  a  few  exceptions 
only  prove  the  rule.  The  horses  named  are  all  pure  gaited  trotters, 
bearing  voice  and  whip  if  needed  in  a  race  without  a  skip,  and  straining 
every  muscle  in  a  keen  desire  to  win.  The  record  each  has  made  is 
plainest  evidence  that  trotting  blood  and  brain  and  leverage  combined 
will  carry  highest  speed.  Mary  Marshal,  2:12^;  Jack,  2:12;  Delmarch, 
2:11^;  Allerton,  2:09^;  Maud  S.,  2:08^,  and  Sunol,  2:08^,  are  proof 
potential  of  the  progress  made  in  breeding  trotters  since  the  days  of 
Flora  Temple." 

Soundness  (by  which  is  meant  freedom  from  disease  or  any  abnor- 
mal feature)  is  of  prime  importance,  especially  in  selecting  for  stud  use; 

*Since  dethroned  successively  by  Palo  Alto,  2:08^  ;  Kremlin,  2:07^,  and  Stamboul,  2:07  }4. 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,    CARE    AND    .MANAGEMENT    OF    HORSES.  lOQ 

and  while  we  cannot  undertake  a  description  of  the  numerous  blemishes 
and  diseases  to  which  the  horse  is  subject,  we  may  call  brief  attention 
to  the  nature  and  relative  consequence  of  some  of  the  more  common 
troubles  : 

"Founder"  (Laminitis  in  its  various  forms)  is  caused  by  over- 
heating, over-feeding,  or  drinking  to  excess.  Although  a  systemic 
disturbance,  it  is  usually  manifested  in  the  feet,  and  a  horse  once  foun- 
dered is  very  likely  afterward  to  have  frequent  trouble  in  these  parts. 
"Sweeny"  (Atrophy  or  Shrinking  of  the  shoulder  muscles)  is  another 
manifestation  of  injury,  which  can  be  "cured,"  but  is  always  liable  to 
reappear  on  slight  provocation.  A  sweenied  horse,  no  matter  how  thor- 
oughly he  may  have  been  "cured,"  it  is  always  safe  to  reject. 

Corns  may  be  easily  detected  by  tapping  sharply  with  any  blunt- 
pointed  instrument  on  the  sole  of  the  foot,  in  the  angle  formed  by  the 
wall  at  the  quarter  and  the  inflected  portion  bounding  either  side  of  the 
frog;  they  never  appear  in  any  other  place.  Bad  corns  are  very  hard  to 
cure,  and  a  horse  thus  afflicted  had  best  be  thrown  out;  but  mild  corns 
— caused  usually  by  poor  shoeing — can  be  easily  and  permanently  cured, 
and  need  not  weigh  heavily  against  the  purchase  of  an  otherwise  desir- 
able horse.  Contracted  feet,  also  caused  by  improper  shoeing,  may  be 
placed  in  the  same  class  as  corns.  Both  these  troubles,  if  mild,  may  be 
cured,  as  a  rule,  by  removing  shoes,  paring  down  the  foot  at  the 
quarters,  and  letting  the  animal  run  at  grass,  barefooted,  for  a  month  or 
six  weeks. 

Spavin  in  all  its  forms  is  a  trouble  we  have  always  been  afraid  of ; 
some  writer  has  called  it  "the  sum  of  all  villainy  in  horse-flesh" — and 
so  it  is.  It  affects  the  hind  leg  at  the  hock  joint,  sometimes  as  a  watery 
swelling  in  front  called  "Bog  Spavin,"  or  in  the  rear  on  either  side  of 
the  hamstring,  when  it  is  called  "Thoroughpin,"  but  in  any  case,  it  is 
liable  to  affect  the  small  bones  of  this  region,  cause  abnormal  bone  de- 
posit, and  become  the  justly  dreaded  "Bone  Spavin,"  by  which  so  many 
originally  valuable  animals  are  ruined  annually.  By  all  means  reject  a 
horse  showing  any  indication  of  Spavin  or  of  "treatment"  for  Spavin. 

Curb,  affecting  the  back  or  point  of  the  hock,  is  of  less  moment ;  it 
is  generally  caused  by  kicking  against  something  hard,  or  habitually 
stepping  over  something  just  high  enough  to  strike  the  heel  in  passing. 
If  the  injury  is  recent,  frequent  and  vigorous  rubbing  will  effect  a  cure  ; 
if  bone  deposit  has  formed,  it  will  always  leave  a  blemish,  but  the  horse 
may  be — and  usually  is — serviceably  sound.  Splint — usually  appearing 
as  a  hard  bunch  on  the  inner  side  of  a  front  cannon,  but  sometimes  on 
either  side  of  any  cannon,  front  or  rear — is  another  trouble  about  like 
curb  ;  it  leaves  a  blemish,  and  of  course  prevents  great  speed,  but  for 
ordinary  use  the  animal  is  as  good  as  ever. 

Ringbone  affects  the  bones  of  the  pastern — making  a  bony  bunch  of 


I1O         HINTS     ON     SELECTION,     CARE     AND     MANAGEMENT     OF     HORSES. 

considerable  size — and  causing,  usually,  serious  lameness.  It  is  consid- 
ered incurable.  Horses  with  short,  upright  pasterns  are  much  more 
subject  to  this  trouble  and  to  the  next  than  are  those  with  pasterns  of 
an  opposite  character. 

Coffin  joint  lameness  (Navicular  disease)  is  one  of  those  troubles 
about  which  little  is  really  known,  but  much  written.  The  Coffin  or 
Navicular  joint  is  just  within  the  hoof,  and  hence  practically  inacces- 
sible for  treatment.  As  noted  under  Ringbone,  horses  with  vertical  pas- 
terns are  more  subject  to  these  troubles,  and  should  be  rejected,  es- 
pecially when  selecting  for  light  wagon  or  carriage  use. 

Concerning  care  and  management,  it  has  been  our  aim  to  secure 
statements  from  successful  breeders  of  the  actual  methods  employed 
by  them  in  feeding,  handling  and  breeding  stock.  In  these  statements 
are  represented  breeders  of  various  classes  of  stock,  and  in  different 
climates  ;  and  we  present  the  following  letters,  in  the  firm  belief  that 
the  information  thus  given  is  well  worth  a  careful  study  : 

French    Draft,    Percherons   and   Trotters. 

"HOUSTON,  TEX.,  July  17,  1888. 
*         *         *         * 

"In  the  growing  of  horses,  my  object  has  been  to  produce  the  best  horse  at  the  least 
expense,  and  to  accomplish  this  I  have  spared  no  pains  in  first  securing  the  best  of  sires, 
and  then  providing  clean,  wholesome  stables,  well  ventilated,  with  pure  water  and  whole- 
some food  ;  usually  feeding  oats  twice  a  day  and  wheat  bran  once,  but  an  occasional 
gradual  change  from  oats  to  corn  I  have  found  advisable  in  maintaining  the  appetite.  I 
give  every  sire  at  least  five  miles  exercise  per  day.  I  regard  this  exercise  as  of  special  im- 
portance in  the  season  for  actual  service.  He  is  then  always  healthful  and  vigorous.  This 
applies  to  either  pure-bred  or  standard-bred  sires  that  are  kept  up,  and  served  to  halter  to 
choice  mares,  when  registration  of  their  progeny  is  required.  Less  valuable  sires,  when 
their  progeny  are  supposed  to  sell  only  on  their  individual  merits,  I  have  found  it  more 
economical  and  raised  a  larger  percentage  of  colts,  to  turn  them  out  in  pastures  with  a 
limited  number  of  mares,  not  to  exceed  25,  not  failing  to  give  them  a  feed  of  oats  each 
day  to  keep  them  strong  and  vigorous ;  and,  in  fact,  'turned  loose1  is  the  most  natural 
way,  and  in  all  classes  of  breeding,  it  has  been  my  experience  that  to  assist  nature  is  the 
best  that  we  can  do. 

"In  providing  food  for  mares,  we  have  found  it  most  satisfactory  and  economical  to 
cut  and  stack  hay  in  pastures,  the  stacks  serving  as  food  and  shelter,  and  with  much  less 
expense  and  waste  than  any  other  way.  Colts,  when  of  sufficient  age  to  take  from  their 
mothers,  we  catch,  halter  and  hitch  in  stable,  until  they  learn  to  eat,  and  lose  all  fear  of 
being  handled,  and  when  again  caught,  if  not  until  maturity,  they  will  not  forget  their 
early  handling  at  the  halter.  We  then  turn  them  in  pasture  by  themselves,  where  they 
have  all  the  hay,  oats  and  bran  they  will  eat  the  first  winter.  They  have  then  arrived  at 
the  age  of  one  year,  in  a  thrifty,  growing  condition,  and  will  take  care  of  themselves  in 
pasture  until  matured  to  the  age  of  three  or  four  years,  suitable  to  break  to  saddle  and 
harness.  At  this  time  avoid  'breaking'  their  temper  and  constitution,  but  on  the  contrary, 
through  a  process  of  kindness,  teach  them  to  lose  all  fear,  and  when  this  is  accomplished, 
the  natural  instincts  control,  and  they  will  then  intelligently  respond  to  all  reasonable 
calls.  A  little  feed  in  winter,  where  circumstances  and  numbers  will  admit,  would  be  a 
judicious  expense.  Yours  very  truly, 

"H.   B.   SANBORN  " 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,    CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    HORSES.  Ill 

Mr.  Sanborn's  methods  give  a  clear  idea  of  handling  for  profit  in  the 
Southwest.  The  practice  of  breaking  colts  at  an  early  age  cannot  be 
too  strongly  urged;  once  trained,  the  spirit  of  obedience  to  a  master's 
will  is  never  lost.  The  natural  way  of  breeding — "turned  loose" — is  the 
practice  adopted  by  all  breeders  of  pony  mares  to  common  stallions,  and 
is  satisfactory  so  far  as  percentage  of  foals  to  service  is  concerned;  but 
it  must  be  remembered  that  to  secure  higher  results — as  Mr.  Sanborn 
states — nature  needs  a  large  amount  of  assistance — indeed,  a  very  high 
type  of  skilled  "Art"  is  required  to  develop  and  bring  to  the  surface 
the  actual  but  latent  merit  of  an  individual  or  breed. 

Cleveland  Bays,  English  Shires  and  Clydesdales. 

"SPRINGFIELD,   ILL.,   August  IO,    1888. 

*  *         #         * 

"My  way  of  handling  a  stallion  is  as  follows:  During  the  winter,  whilst  I  give  him 
a  fair  allowance  of  grain,  mixed  with  bran,  and  cut  hay  or  oat  sheaves,  I  do  not  let  him 
get  too  fleshy,  giving  him  good  exercise  daily,  and  a  few  weeks  prior  to  commencing  the 
season,  increase  his  allowance  of  grain  (chiefly  oats)  so  that  onigoing  on  the  stand,  the  horse 
is  improving  (/.  e.,  fleshing  up).  Whilst  making  a  season,  I  give  a  horse  all  he  will  eat 
(without  crowding  him),  and  in  addition  to  the  grain  feed,  give  where  possible  some  green 
feed  once  or  twice  per  day.  If  not  available,  then  the  best  hay  morning  and  night.  I 
usually  feed  one  meal  per  day  damped  with  water. 

"With  regard  to  breeding  or  brood  mares,  would  say:  If  there  is  sufficient  nutri- 
tious grass  available,  they  should  not  require  anything  else,  but  a  mare  to  be  bred  should 
also  be  improving  in  flesh,  and  will  be  much  more  liable  to  get  in  foal  under  such  condi- 
tions; a  little  extra  feed  at  this  time  is  not  thrown  away. 

"In  addition  to  their  mother's  milk,  colts  should  have  access  to  feed  of  crushed 
oats  and  bran,  at  least  twice  daily,  and  although  many  think  this  unnecessary,  I  think  the 
growth  and  the  superiority  of  colts  reared  under  these  conditions  will,  after  being  once 
tried,  convince  the  most  skeptical  of  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  a  generous  feed  in 
addition  to  that  provided  by  nature;  besides,  a  colt  is  so  much  more  easily  weaned  when 
taught  to  eat  and  look  out  for  himself  when  young.  All  colts  should  be  handled,  hal- 
tered and  broke  when  three  years  old.  *  *  *  * 

"Yours  truly,  R.  P.  STERICKER." 

Mr.  Stericker  believes  in  feeding  his  colts,  and  we  think  the  point 
is  well  taken.  At  no  other  time  in  the  period  of  horse  existence  will  a 
little  feed  give  such  large  returns  as  during  the  first  and  second  years, 
and  the  so-called  economy  of  short  rations  at  this  time  is  really  the  very 
opposite  of  economy  in  fact. 

Cleveland  Bays   and  English    Shires. 

•CEDAR  FALLS  STOCK  FARM,  CEDAR  FALLS,  IOWA,  Aug.  15,  1888. 

*  *        *        * 

"Having  so  many  stallions,  it  is  impracticable  to  give  them  harness  or  saddle  exer- 
cise as  required.  We  have,  however,  large  well-fenced  exercising  grounds,  into  which 
they  are  turned  singly,  daily.  The  exercise  and  rolling  contact  with  mother  earth,  vol- 
untarily taken  in  the  sunlight,  aids  to  keep  them  healthy.  They  have  box  stalls  well 
lighted  and  ventilated,  with  earth  floors  and  perfect  cleanliness.  Their  food  in  the  off 


112         HINTS     ON     SELECTION,     CARE     AND     MANAGEMENT     OF     HORSES. 

season  should  be  clean,  bright  hay,  oats  mixed  with  bran  or  shorts,  and  once  or  twice  a 
wiek  some  vegetables.  It  is  also  desirable  to  cut  and  save  in  cellar  for  winter,  sods  ot 
grass,  to  give  them  occasionally,  which  are  eaten  with  avidity  and  benefit.  In  very  cold 
weather  a  little  corn  would  aid  in  maintaining  animal  heat,  but  we  use  it  very  sparingly. 
In  case  of  hird  faeces,  indicating  costiveness,  steep  half  pint  of  flaxseed,  and  feed  with 
oats.  We  aim  to  keep  them  in  gooa  heart  through  the  winter,  but  not  fleshy.  In  the 
breeding  season  the  ration  is  more  liberal,  and  is  supplemented  by  half  pint  to  a  pint  of 
hempseed  (which  is  not  a  drug,  and  is  harmless)  say  three  times  a  week,  and  raw  eggs 
about  as  often,  mixed  with  the  feed.  Fresh  grass  is  always  craved,  and  is  beneficial. 
For  mares,  free  run  in  pasture  on  grass — the  natural  food — is  best,  with,  when  neces- 
sary, some  oats  and  bran.  Toward  time  for  stinting  to  the  horse,  half  pint  of  hempseed 
is  desirable  three  times  a  week,  and  for  a  short  time  after  service.  It  is  undoubtedly 
good  for  both  stallions  and  mares  to  have  reasonable,  careful  work  at  proper  times,  to 
develop  stamina  and  muscle  and  give  constitution  to  offspring.  Colts  should  run  freely 
in  pasture  and  have,  when  on  dry  food,  a  few  oats,  bran  and  vegetables ;  kept  growing 
thriftily,  but  not  pampered;  should  be  handled  often,  firmly  but  kindly.  This  should 
also  be  the  rule  in  handling  stallions. 

"  Very  respectfully,  W.  M.  FIELDS  &  BRO." 

The  Cedar  Falls  Stock  Farm  is  well  known  as  carrying  an  excellent 
stock  of  horses.  Mr.  Fields  admits  that  it  is  impossible,  on  account  of 
the  number  on  hand,  to  give  each  stallion  the  exercise  which  should  be 
given,  but  thinks  they  have  adopted  the  next  best  plan — daily  yard  runs 
in  the  open  air.  In  lieu  of  the  green  sods  cut  and  kept  for  winter  use, 
as  suggested,  we  have  understood  that  ensilage  in  small  quantities  has 
been  used  to  advantage,  and  we  should  think  the  practice  would  involve 
much  less  trouble  and  expense. 

American    Trotters. 

"  WILLOW  LAWN  FARM,  WAVERLY,  IOWA,  July  26,  1888. 

*  *        *        * 

"  As  I  have  been  away  from  home  since  July  i,  have  had  no  time  to  prepare  state- 
ment of  care  of  mares  and  colts,  as  requested ;  but  our  practice  is  to  keep  as  close  to 
nature  as  possible,  giving  mares  entire  freedom,  and  feeding  only  such  grain  as  is  neces- 
sary to  keep  them  in  fine  condition  at  all  times.  Our  colts  are  constantly  handled  by 
quiet,  careful  men,  so  that  when  ready  to  put  in  harness,  we  have  seldom  any  trouble 
with  them.  We  have  about  50  high-bred  mares,  and  we  try  to  give  each  mare  and  colt 
such  care  as  their  individual  condition  requires. 

"Very  truly  yours,  J.  H.  BOWMAN  " 

Knowing  the  high  character  of  "Willow  Lawn"  stud,  we  can  only 
express  regret  that  Mr.  Bowman  had  not  time  to  give  us  a  more 
extended  outline  of  his  practice. 

Draft   and    Trotting   Horses. 

"FISKVILLE,  TRAVIS  COUNTY,  TEXAS,  Aug.  27,  1888. 

*  *        *        * 

"In  keeping  stallions  for  public  service  I  have  handled  each  year,  for  the  past 
fifteen  years,  from  50  to  150  mares  ;  one  stallion  that  I  stood  six  consecutive  seasons, 
averaged,  according  to  accurate  written  records,  83  per  cent,  of  foals  to  mares  served, 
and  all  animals  handled  by  me  have  averaged  about  75  per  cent.,  whilst  I  do  not  think 
the  general  average  will  exceed  50  per  cent,  of  foals  to  mares  served. 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,   CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    HORSES.  113 

"My  practice  is  to  have  the  stallion  in  strong,  vigorous  condition,  and  to  keep  him 
so  throughout  the  breeding  season — say  from  March  i  to  July  i — by  constant  and 
abundant  exercise  ;  and  no  plan  will  give  this  needed  exercise  in  so  desirable  and  eco- 
nomical shape  as  to  make  a  business  horse  of  him — under  the  saddle  and  in  harness,  one 
or  both.  The  constant  use,  association  and  control  by  his  master  renders  him 
obedient,  manageable  and  safe;  whilst  it  also  keeps  all  the  vital  organs  in  full  and 
vigorous  play — which  gives  a  larger  per  cent,  of  foals  from  his  service,  and  with  more 
constitution  and  vitality.  I  wish  to  emphasize  this  point,  for  it  is  opposite  to  the  pre- 
vailing custom. 

"Next,  be  sure  your  mare  is  in  season  (heat) ;  *  *  it  requires  experience  to  deter- 
mine this  accurately — mares  vary  greatly  in  temperament,  or  nervous  organization,  and 
consequently  conduct  themselves  differently.  *  *  Such  mares  as  have  dropped  foals 
will,  almost  invariably,  be  in  heat  in  from  seven  to  ten  days  after  foaling.  *  *  *  I 
always  have  the  colt  accompany  its  mother,  else  she  is  fretting  for  it,  and  it  is  more  diffi- 
cult to  ascertain  her  true  condition.  After  the  first  service,  *  *  if  the  mare's  condition 
is  normal,  until  she  is  safe  in  foal  heat  will  recur  at  intervals  of  21  days,  varying  a  lit- 
tle with  the  individual;  thus  you  will  see  why  a  reasonable  degree  of  success  attends  those 
who  practice  returning  mares  on  the  seventh  or  ninth  day  after  service.  My  observation 
has  been  that  mares  carry  a  heat  on  the  average,  five  days. 

' '  When  foaling  time  is  at  hand  see  that  the  mare  is  exposed  to  no  extra  risks,  then 
let  her  alone.  When  the  mother's  milk  fails  to  keep  the  foal  fat,  feed  her  grain  to  enrich 
it,  and  that  the  colt  may  learn  to  eat  and  digest  the  grain  perfectly  before  weaning  time, 
which  should  be  done  at  from  six  to  eight  months  of  age,  at  which  time  it  should  be  abun- 
dantly and  regularly  supplied  with  nutritious  food.  Oats  and  bran  are  my  choice,  with 
corn  added  as  cold  weather  comes  on;  the  desideratum  being  to  keep  up  thrift  and  growth 
from  birth  to  maturity.  If  this  is  interrupted  at  any  stage,  one  loses  not  only  in  size,  but 
in  style  or  symmetry.  Where  growing  colts  are  thus  constantly  associated  with  man,  the 
breaking-in  to  service  is  a  simple  thing;  the  transition  is  so  easy  and  natural  that  they 
hardly  know  it,  and  where  light  and  occasional  work  is  performed  by  them  between  the 
second  and  third  years,  by  the  time  maturity  is  reached  the  animals  are  thoroughly  de- 
veloped, trained  and  safe,  and  will  command  the  very  highest  market  price  for  their  re- 
spective kinds.  In  fact,  from  discriminating  buyers,  a  horse  known  to  be  thus  raised  and 
trained  will  command  an  extra  price. 

"  Very  truly  yours,  C.  A.  GRAVES." 

Mr.  Graves  is  careful  to  emphasize  the  necessity  for  actual  use,  either 
under  the  saddle  or  in  harness,  of  service  stallions,  and  brings  out  clearly 
the  points  in  breeding  on  which  beginners  are  apt  to  stumble,  His  let- 
ter contains  some  valuable  information  well  worth  remembering. 


i,  Muzzle;  2,  Face;  3,  Forehead;  4,  Throat;  5,  Neck;  6,  Dewlap;  7,  Brisket;  8.  Shoulder; 
9,  Shoulder-tips;  10,  Crops;  n,  Chine,  or  Back;  12,  Loins;  13.  Rump  ;  14,  Hip,  or  Hook-bone  ;  15, 
Thurl;  16,  Buttock;  17,  Upper-thigh,  or  Quarter ;  18,  Lower-thigh,  Leg,  or  Gaskin ;  19,  Hock;  20, 
Onglons,  or  False  hoofs;  21,  Hoof,  or  Foot;  22,  Hind-udder;  23,  Fore-udder;  24,  Teats;  25,  Milk- 
vein;  26,  Flank;  27,  Belly;  28,  Side;  29,  Girth  Arm-pit,  or  Fore-flank  ;  30,  Knee;  31,  Switch,  or 
Brush  of  the  Tail  ;  32,  Setting-on,  or  Drop  of  the  Tail ;  33,  Ears ;  34,  Horns  ;  35,  Nostril ;  36, 
Cheek,  or  Lower  jaw  ;  37,  Chest. 


114 


PART    SECOND. 


CATTLE. 

DAIRY    BREEDS. 

PAGE 

HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS Chapter           XXII n6 

JERSEYS "                XXIII 125 

GUERNSEYS "                XXIV 131 

AYRSHIRES "                   XXV 135 

DUTCH  BELTED "                XXVI 140 

AMERICAN  HOLDERNESS      "              XXVII .    .  144 

BROWN  Swiss   .    . "             XXVIII I48 

BRITTANIES '.'                XXIX 152 

KERRIES ••                  XXX i54 

GENERAL   PURPOSE  BREEDS. 

SHORTHORNS Chapter         XXXI 157 

RED-POLLED 7".    .    .         "  XXXII 163 

DEVONS ••  XXXIII 167 

LONGHORNS '.'-••  XXXIV I73 

NORMANDIES '        .  ."  XXXV 176 

NORTH  WALES  BLACK .'        "  '  XXXVI xSo 

PEMBROKES ••  XXXVII. 184 

BEEF    BREEDS. 

HEREFORDS Chapter  XXXVIII 185 

GALLOWAYS "  XXXIX 191 

ABERDEEN-ANGUS "  XL .  196 

POLLED  DURHAMS "  XLI.     .  201 

SUSSEX "  XLII 204 

SlMMENTHAL        "  XLIII 207 

BRAHMINS  (ZEBU) "  XL1V.    ...  210 

WEST  HIGHLANDS "  XLV.    ...  215 

TEXANS "  XLVI 220 

HINTS    ON    SELECTION,   CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT. 
CHAPTER  XLVII _  223 


Chapter  XXII. 


HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS. 

To  trace  the  early  history  and  establish  the  origin  of  this  now  firmly 
settled  and  improved  breed,  it  is  necessary  to  go  back  over  the  much 
disputed  ground,  until  recently  bitterly  contested  by  the  Holstein  and 
the  Dutch-Friesian  Associations.  The  Friesians,  or  North  Hollanders, 
from  the  earliest  history  have  dwelt  along  the  shores  of  the  North  Sea, 
and  have  possessed  abundance  of  cattle ;  their  history  dates  as  far  back 
as  300  B.  C.,  and  their  cattle  at  that  time  are  supposed  to  have  been 
pure  white.  Tradition  intimates  that  the  progenitors  of  the  breed  came 
from  India,  but  we  have  no  authentic  records  to  that  effect.  Two  hun- 
dred years  later  the  Batavians  appear  in  history.  They  settled  near  the 
Friesians,  and  it  is  supposed  that  the  cattle  which  they  brought  with 
them  were  black.  From  the  crossing  of  these  two  breeds,  then,  might 
easily  have  arisen  the  black  and  white  color  of  the  present  breed. 
However  vague  this  theory  of  their  origin  may  be,  it  is  certain  that  these 
two  tribes  or  provincial  nations  were  afterwards  known  in  common,  and 
together  celebrated  for  the  excellence  and  great  number  of  their  cattle 
— so  much  so,  indeed,  that  when  present  Holland  came  under  Roman 
authority,  the  Friesians  were  required  to  pay  an  annual  tax  in  hides, 
horns  and  cattle ;  the  Batavians  chose  rather  to  furnish  soldiers,  and 
from  this  time  on  they  seem  to  have  relegated  to  the  Friesians  all  the 
responsibility,  labor  and  emolument  arising  from  the  cattle  industry. 

As  to  whether  the  cattle  of  Friesland  or  North  Holland  were  origi- 
nally obtained  from  the  province  of  Holstein — lying  in  the  northern  part 
of  Germany,  along  the  border — or  the  exact  reverse ;  or,  indeed,  as  to 
the  truth  of  either  assertion,  it  is  not  now  necessary  to  consider ;  time 
has  only  made  certain  what  all  candid  breeders  of  either  Holsteins  or 
Dutch-Friesians  never  denied — that  the  cattle  of  Holstein  and  those  of 
Friesland  or  North  Holland  are,  and  for  many  years  have  been,  practi- 
cally identical.  The  Holstein  Breeders'  Association  was  organized  and 
the  name  adopted  in  good  faith.  What  more  suitable  name  for  a  breed 
than  that  of  the  country  in  which  it  has  reached  perfection  ?  But 
gradually  the  cattle  of  Holstein  were  culled  of  the  best  specimens,  and 
importers  began  to  secure  choice  animals  from  North  Holland,  calling 
them  and  having  them  recorded  as  Holsteins.  Possibly  this  fact  may 
have  hastened  the  organization  of  the  Dutch-Friesian  Association.  Be 

116 


HOLSTKIN-FRIESIANS. 


117 


V) 


Il8  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAXS. 

that  as  it  may,  the  latter  na-med  society  was  organized  in  1877,  and  the 
first  volume  of  the  Dutch-Friesian  Herd  Book  of  America  appeared  in 
1880.  To  a  careful  observer,  the  name  appeared  to  be  about  the  only 
real  difference  between  these  two  recognized  breeds,  and  attempts  were 
early  made  by  the  more  conservative  breeders  on  both  sides  to  join 
forces  and  admit  their  identity,  by  importing  and  breeding  under  one 
name  instead  of  two.  The  name  Holstein  had  an  undoubted  priority  in 
America,  and  the  black  and  white  cattle  of  Friesland  were  persistently 
libeled  as  "Holsteins"  by  those  who  were  either  ignorant  of  the 
Friesian  name,  or  too  partisan  in  their  views  to  regard  it  with  fairness. 

The  Dutch-Friesian  breeders  scored  a  strong  point  in  their  favor 
when  they  adopted  for  their  Herd  Book  the  Main  or  Advanced  Register 
— of  which  we  will  speak  later —  in  addition  to  the  usual  pedigree  reg- 
ister of  other  breeds.  Selfish  interests  undoubtedly  operated  to  pre- 
vent a  union  of  the  two  associations,  but  gradually  the  pressure  of  pub- 
lic opinion,  combined  with  the  good  sense  of  a  majority  of  breeders, 
effected  a  union.  A  joint  committee  having  been  appointed  for  the 
purpose  of  drafting  a  plan  for  consolidation,  the  two  associations  met 
in  joint  session  May  26th,  1885,  and  formally  adopted  the  plans  pre- 
pared by  the  committee.  The  Holstein-Friesian  Association  (Thos.  B. 
Wales,  Boston,  Mass.,  secretary)  retained  the  Advanced  Registry  fea- 
ture, and  we  have  thought  best  to  insert  here  the  rules  and  requirements 
for  admission  to  this  higher  record  as  recently  modified  by  the  associa- 
tion, and  furnished  for  our  use  by  S.  Hoxie,  Superintendent,  Yorkville, 
New  York. 

First.   An  animal  must  be  eligible  to  record  in  the  Pedigree  Register. 

Second.  If  a  bull,  he  must  have  shown  his  superior  qualities  by  his 
progeny,  and  must  scale  at  least  80  points  of  the  scale  adopted  ;  if  a 
cow,  she  must  have  borne  a  calf,  and  made  one  of  the  following  records  : 

"  If  calving  on  the  day  she  is  two  years  of  age  a  record  of  not  less  than  nine  Ibs. 
of  butter  in  seven  consecutive  days,  or  not  less  than  6,500  Ibs.  of  milk  in  10  consec- 
utive months,  or  not  less  than  354  Ibs.  of  milk  in  10  consecutive  days,  previous  to 
eight  months  from  and  after  date  of  calving,  in  which  last  case  she  shall  have  made  an- 
other record  of  118  Ibs.  in  10  consecutive  days  after  such  period  of  eight  months. 
And  for  every  day  a  cow  exceeds  two  years  of  age  at  date  of  calving  in  the  'two  year 
form'  the  requirement  of  the  10  months  record  shall  be  increased  3j8537  Ibs.  ;  the  re- 
quirement of  the  earlier  10  days  record  -fifo  of  a  Ib.  ;  the  requirement  of  the  latter 
10  days  record  -j-^y  of  a  Ib.  ;  and  the  requirement  of  the  butter  record  T^  of  an  oz. 

"If  calving  on  the  day  she  is  three  years  of  age  a  record  of  not  less  than  n 
Ibs.  of  butter  in  seven  consecutive  days,  or  not  less  than  7,900  Ibs.  of  milk  in  10  consec- 
utive months,  or  not  less  than  432  Ibs.  of  milk  in  10  consecutive  days,  previous  to  eight 
months  from  and  after  calving,  in  which  last  case  she  shall  have  made  another  record 
of  144  Ibs.  in  10  consecutive  days  after  such  period  of  eight  month*.  And  for  every 
day  she  exceeds  three  years  of  age  at  date  of  calving  in  the  '  three-year  form  '  the  same 
increase  per  day  as  in  the  two-year  form. 

"If  calving  on  the  day  she  is  four  years  of  age  a  record  of  not  less  than  13 
Ibs.  of  butter  in  seven  consecutive  days,  or  not  less  than  9,300  Ibs.  of  milk  in  10  consec- 


HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS. 


IIQ 


I2O  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS. 

utive  months,  or  not  less  than  511  Ibs.  of  milk  in  10  consecutive  days,  previous  to  eight 
months  from  and  after  date  of  calving,  in  which  last  case  she  shall  have  made  another 
record  of  not  less  than  170  Ibs.  in  10  consecutive  days  after  such  period  of  eight  months. 
And  for  every  day  she  exceeds  four  years  of  age  at  date  of  calving  in  the  'four-year  form,' 
the  same  increase  per  day  as  in  the  three-year  form. 

' '  If  calving  on  the  day  she  is  five  years  of  age  a  record  of  not  less  than  15  Ibs.  of  butter 
in  seven  consecutive  days,  or  not  less  than  10,700  Ibs.  of  milk  in  10  consecutive  months, 
or  not  less  than  589  Ibs.  of  milk  in  10  consecutive  days,  previous  to  eight  months  from 
and  after  date  of  calving,  in  which  last  case  she  shall  have  made  another  record  of  not  less 
than  197  Ibs.  in  10  consecutive  days  after  such  period  of  eight  months.  No  increase  of 
production  shall  be  required  from  increased  age  at  date  of  calving  in  'full-age  form.' 

"All  records  shall  be  made  within  a  period  of  one  year  from  date  of  calving  (ex- 
cepting in  case  of  a  full  year's  record  necessarily  extending  a  year  from  its  date  of  com- 
mencement), and  in  no  case  include  milk  or  butter  produced  from  a  second  calving. 

' '  In  making  each  and  every  such  record  the  cow  shall  be  milked  dry  at  its  com- 
mencement, and  the  close  shall  not  extend  beyond  the  number  of  days  reported,  reckoned 
at  24  hours  each.  In  each  and  every  butter  record  reported  the  butter  shall  be  of  good 
marketable  quality,  salted  at  not  higher  than  one  ounce  of  salt  to  a  pound  of  butter,  and 
worked  free  from  any  excess  of  water  or  buttermilk. 

"  In  reporting  each  and  every  record,  the  date  of  calving  shall  be  given,  age  of  cow 
at  such  date,  the  date  of  commencement  of  record,  the  date  of  close  of  record,  and  the 
number  of  pounds  of  milk  or  butter  produced  ;  and  in  records  of  butter  production,  the 
average  number  pounds  of  milk  required  to  produce  one  pound  of  butter  during  the 
whole  period  covered  by  the  record.  At  the  option  of  the  owner  the  number  of  milkings 
per  day  during  any  part  of  the  time  covered  by  the  record  or  records  may  be  given,  or 
other  matters  of  interest,  to  occupy  in  the  Register  not  to  exceed  two  lines  as  published. 

" '  Every  such  record  shall  be  sworn  to  by  each  and  every  person  assisting  in  making 
it,  including  in  every  case  the  owner  of  the  animal.  Such  affidavits  shall  set  forth  that 
the  record  or  records  were  made  in  accordance  with  these  rules,  and  that  they  are  true  in 
each  and  every  particular  to  the  best  knowledge  and  belief  of  the  su-bscriber  thereto.  The 
inspector  shall  also  certify  that  in  his  judgment  the  animal  is  capable  of  making  such  rec- 
ord or  records. 

"A  cow,  to  be  eligible  to  this  registry,  shall  also  be  found  by  the  inspector  to  con- 
form to  the  structural  requirements  provided  in  connection  with  the  Scale  of  Points. 

' '  A  cow  shall  also  be  eligible  to  this  registry  on  a  record  of  pure  butter  fat,  deter- 
mined by  composite  test  of  samples  of  her  milk,  taken  from  each  and  every  milking  for  a 
period  of  seven  consecutive  days.  The  samples  to  be  taken,  in  every  instance,  from  the 
whole  milking  immediately  after  it  has  been  thoroughly  stirred  and  mixed.  This  composite 
test  shall  be  determined  by  the  Babcock  or  other  equally  accurate  apparatus  or  method 
approved  by  the  Association  of  Official  Agricultural  Chemists.  The  total  amount  of  milk 
given  during  this  period  of  seven  consecutive  days  shall  be  multiplied  by  the  per  cent,  of 
pure  butter  fat  thus  found  in  the  milk,  and  the  product  obtained  shall  be  the  record.  The 
requirement  for  entry  on  such  a  record  of  pure  butter  fat  shall  be  83^3  per  cent,  of  the 
requirement  for  entry  on  a  record  of  marketable  butter  of  a  cow  of  the  same  age.  Full 
particulars  shall  be  reported  and  affidavits  made  as  in  cases  of  milk  and  marketable  but- 
ter records. " 

The  recent  quarrel  in  the  Holstein-Friesian  camp  between  Eastern 
an£  Western  breeders,  and  the  attempted  starting  of  a  second  Herd 
Book,  will  have  a  depressing  effect  on  the  really  best  interests  of  the  Hol- 
stein-Friesian breed,  and  may  result  in  even  greater  disaster.  We  have 
no  "side"  to  take  in  this  controversy,  but  in  the  interests  of  the  whole 


HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS.  121 

breeding  fraternity  would  say  :  One  registry  is  ample;  one  association  all 
that  is  necessary.  If  honest  differences  of  opinion  exist,  let  them  be  set- 
tled by  other  means,  and  keep  the  good  name  of  the  Holstein-Friesian 
breed  from  any  further  damage  which  the  warring  breeders  may  unin- 
tentionally inflict. 

DESCRIPTION. 

In  outline  they  present  the  typical  milk  wedge,  with  narrow  shoulder 
points  and  wide,  strong  hips;  color  jet  black  and  pure  white,  more  or 
less  evenly  variegated  over  the  entire  body;  the  brush  of  the  tail  must  al- 
ways be  white, no  matter  how  strongly  black  may  predominate  elsewhere; 
the  tastes  of  breeders  differ  as  to  markings,  some  preferring  an  excess  of 
white,  or  at  least  evenly  variegated,  while  others  prefer  to  breed  for  a 
predominance  of  black,  confining  the  white  to  the  belly  line,  brush  and 
star  in  forehead.  In  size  they  are  fully  equal  to  the  Shorthorn  or  Here- 
ford— bulls  weighing  from  1,900  to  2,300  Ibs.,  and  cows  from  1,200  to 
i, 600  Ibs.  —lacking  the  square,  heavy  appearance  of  these  breeds,  but 
suggesting  magnificent  constitutions  by  their  powerful  frames.  The 
head  is  long,  with  very  little  flesh,  and  prominent  muzzle-veins;  the  mouth 
large  and  coarse;  nostrils  large  and  flexible;  eyes  not  especially  promi- 
nent, but  large,  bright  and  wide  apart;  face  beautifully  dished;  horns 
small,  clear  at  base,  with  black  tips,  usually  pointing  forward;  ears  large, 
thin,  quick  in  movement  and  of  yellowish,  oily  texture  within;  neck  long, 
slender  and  finely  tapered  in  the  cow,  with  small  dewlap  suspended  from 
lower  one-third — in  the  bull  the  neck  should  still  be  fine  at  the  head,  but 
heavy,  muscular  and  well  set  on  at  the  shoulders.  The  shoulders  are 
thin  above,  but  long  and  very  deep,  giving  a  much  greater  shoulder-beef 
capacity  than  would  appear  at  first  thought.  The  rib  arches  gradually 
increase  toward  the  loin  region,  giving  ample  room  in  the  abdominal  cav- 
ity, and  by  no  means  crowding  the  chest.  The  barrel  gradually  deepens 
to  the  region  of  the  flank,  which  is  low  and  well-muscled.  The  loin  is 
full;  hips  wide  apart,  and  on  a  level  with  the  back;  back  straight  through- 
out— although  in  some  of  the  best  milkers,  there  is  more  or  less  drop 
from  the  sacral  regions;  buttocks  large,  and  the  angle  between  them  in 
the  cow  wide,  giving  ample  room  for  passage  of  foetus  at  parturition; 
tail  long,  slender  and  delicately  tapering  to  the  brush;  hind  quarters  very 
heavy;  legs  rather  longer  than  in  the  Shorthorn  or  Hereford,  but  straight 
and  finely  formed — crooked  legs,  as  a  necessary  accompaniment  to  milk- 
ing qualities,  no  longer  exist.  The  udder  should  be  broad,  square,  close 
up  to  the  body  and  spreading  well  forward  on  to  the  abdomen — long, 
low-hanging,  meaty  udders,  that  are  nearly  as  large  after  milking  as  when 
distended  with  milk,  are  very  objectionable;  teats  are  nearly  always  even, 
good  shape — not  conical — and  the  reservoirs  supplying  them  of  about 
equal  dimensions  in  the  four  divisions  of  the  udder;  escutcheon  varies, 
and  to  select  well  requires  an  accurate  knowledge  of  these  pecuilar 


122  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIA.NS. 

"mirrors,"  which  we  cannot  give  in  a  work  of  this  kind.  (For  a  very 
exhaustive  exposition  of  the  indications  of  escutcheons,  we  most  heartily 
recommend  the  American  translation  of  Guenon's  Milch  Cows.)  The 
milk  veins  are  remarkably  developed  in  the  best  specimens,  and  the 
brisket,  while  not  so  low  as  in  some  other  breeds,  is  broad  and  full.  The 
skin  is  of  medium  thickness,  soft  and  mellow  to  the  touch,  and  the  hair 
short,  fine  and  close  lying.  The  following  Scale  of  Points  was  adopted 
August  i2th,  1885,  and  is  now  in  general  use: 

COWS.  BULLS. 

2 Head ...  2 

2 Forehead 2 

2 Face 2 

i Ears i 

2 Eyes 2 

2 Horns    ...        2 

4 Neck 5 

3 .    .  Shoulders      4 

6 Chest 8 

2 Crops 4 

3 Back 3 

5 Barrel 6 

5 Loins  and  Hips 5 

4 Rump 5 

4 Thurl 4 

4 Quarters    ...        5 

2 Flanks 2 

5 Legs 6 

2        Tail 2 

10        Hair  and  Handling 10 

10 Mammary  Veins 10 

12 Udder 

8 Escutcheon 8 

Rudimentary  Teats 2 


100 Perfection .    .  100 

CHARACTERISTICS,     USES    AND    ADAPTABILITY. 

The  prominent  characteristic  of  the  Holstein-Friesian  cow  lies  in 
her  wonderful  milk  production;  and  of  the  bull,  in  his  power  to  transmit 
superior  milking  qualities  to  his  offspring.  They  are  admittedly  a 
superior  milk  breed,  giving  a  large  quantity  of  milk,  especially  rich  in 
casein,  and  fairly  good  in  butter  content.  Clothilde  produced  26,021  Ibs. 
2  ozs.  of  milk  in  one  year — the  second  largest  record  ever  made  by  a  cow 
of  any  breed;  she  has  also  a  record  of  28  Ibs.  2^  ozs.  of  butter  in  seven 
days.  Recently  some  astonishing  results  have  beeen  obtained  in  the 
butter  line;  a  Mercedes  heifer,  property  of  Thomas  B.  Wales,  Jr.,  of 
Iowa  City,  Iowa,  dropped  her  first  calf  February  13,  1887,  and  when  she 
was  two  years  and  twelve  days  old,  commenced  a  seven  days'  test.  (See 


HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS.  123 

rules  of  admission  to  Advanced  Register.)  She  produced  21  Ibs.  8  ozs. 
of  unsalted  butter  in  seven  days,  from  a  yield  of  312  Ibs.  6  ozs.  of  milk — 
said  to  be  the  largest  certified  record,  with  one  exception,  ever  made  by 
a  heifer. 

Still  more  remarkable  is  the  record  of  Pauline  Paul,  852  A.  R., 
2199  H.  H.  B.,  owned  by  J.  B.  Dutcher  &  Son,  Pawling,  N.  Y.  Drop- 
ping her  calf  January  19,  1890,  when  eight  years  of  age,  she  produced  in 
365  successive  days,  beginning  February  8,  1890,  and  ending  February 
7,  1891,  18,669  Ibs.  9  ozs.  milk,  from  which  was  made  1,153  Ibs.  15^ 
ozs.  well  worked,  marketable  butter.  This  record  is  truly  remarkable, 
and  has,  of  course,  had  to  pass  through  the  same  gauntlet  of  doubting 
remarks  and  publications  which  are  always  launched  when  any  world's 
records  are  broken.  It  is  attested,  however,  under  oath  by  the  owners, 
and  by  H.  D.  Warner,  Geo.  Vail  and  W.  H.  Johnson,  and  we  have  no 
reason  to  doubt  the  truthfulness  of  what  these  gentlemen  affirm.  It 
will  be  seen  that  on  an  average  it^  required  a  little  over  16  Ibs.  of  milk 
throughout  the  year  to  make  one  pound  of  marketable  butter.  Not  only 
the  owners  but  the  whole  Holstein-Friesian  breeding  fraternity  are  to 
be  congratulated  on  the  record  of  this  wonderful  cow.  It  is  not  only 
the  largest  butter  record  among  Holstein-Friesians,  but  the  largest  but- 
ter record  for  an  entire  year  ever  made  by  a  cow  of  any  breed.  She  has 
also  a  record  of  128  Ibs.  13^  ozs.  of  butter  in  30  days. 

Pieterje,  2d,  property  of  Mr.  Dallas  B.  Whipple,  of  Cuba,  N.  Y., 
has  lately  completed  the  greatest  milk  record,  not  only  to  date,  but  that 
is  likely  to  be  made  for  some  time  to  come;  she  is  truly  a  wonderful 
animal,  having  to  her  credit  112  Ibs.  7  ozs.  of  milk  in  one  day;  3,289  Ibs. 
loozs.  in  31  consecutive  days,  and  the  enormous  amount  of  30,318  Ibs. 
8  ozs.  in  one  year  of  365  days — surpassing  the  great  yield  of  Clothilde  by 
4,297  Ibs.,  and  proving  herself  the  largest  milker  in  the  world.  She  was 
bred  by  T.  K.  Cuperus,  of  Boxum,  Friesland,  Holland;  calved  April  25, 
1877,  and  imported  November  i,  1882,  by  Mr.  A.  Bradley,  of  Lee,  Mass. 

Touching  their  beef  qualities  we  have  yet  much  to  learn  ;  their 
exponents  claim  for  them  finely  marbled,  rich,  juicy  flesh,  while  the 
opposite  faction  assert  that  they  are  good  for  nothing  but  milk;  probably 
a  mean  between  these  two  views  will  be  found  more  nearly  correct. 
That  the  grades  produced  by  using  Holstein-Friesian  bulls  on  native 
stock  rank  well  in  size  and  thrift  with  the  grades  of  either  Shorthorn, 
Hereford  or  Galloway  lineage,  cannot  be  denied;  but  to  claim  as  fine 
beef  qualities  for  a  typical  milk  breed  as  may  be  found  in  cattle  bred 
especially  for  the  butcher's  block,  is  too  much  like  the  theory  of  the 
individual  who  claims  the  earth.  They  have  size  and  vigor,  two  things 
of  prime  value  in  grading  up  a  herd  of  native  stock,  and  are  especially 
valuable  for  the  great  Southwest  for  the  reasons :  First,  that  they 
rapidly  improve  the  milking  value  of  native  stock  by  grading;  and  sec- 


124  HOLSTEIN-FRIESIANS. 

ond,  that  so  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  collect  statistics,  they  acclimate 
in  the  fever  belt  with  greater  ease  than  any  other  known  breed  of  im- 
proved cattle.  They  are  ravenous  eaters,  bear  forced  feeding  well,  and 
give  good  return  for  extra  care. 

Our  illustrations  are  from  the  famous  Lakeside  Herd  at  Syracuse, 
N.  Y.  Clothilde  we  have  already  mentioned ;  Netherland  Prince  has 
proved  his  great  value,  not  only  to  his  owners,  but  to  the  entire  Hol- 
stein-Friesian  fraternity.  An  animal  of  fine  parts  in  himself,  of  untar- 
nished ancestry,  and  showing  bv  his  superior  get  a  wonderful  power  of 
transmission. 


Chapter  XXIII. 


JERSEYS. 

This  breed — the  best  known  and  most  widely  distributed  of  the 
Channel  Island  groups — has  long  held  a  high  place  in  public  favor. 
Although  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  Jerseys  were  originally  from  Nor- 
mandy, in  France,  they  were  long  ago  transplanted,  and  became  the 
peculiar  breed  of  the  Channel  Islands.  There  are  four  of  these  Islands  : 
Jersey,  Guernsey,  Alderney  and  Serk — named  in  order  of  their  size — the 
last  one,  Serk,  being  so  small  as  to  have  received  scarcely  any  notice  in 
the  records  of  the  Island  Breeds.  The  people  of  the  islands  are  essen- 
tially Norman  in  habits,  appearance  and  dialect;  but  ever  since  Nor- 
mandy was  severed  from  English  sway,  these  islands  have  remained,  as 
their  inhabitants  evidently  desired,  a  dependency  of  Great  Britain,  sub- 
ject to  her  rule,  and,  what  is  more  to  the  point,  her  protection.  The 
cattle  of  the  islands,  although  at  first  considered  as  one  breed,  have 
within  the  last  50  years  gradually  drifted  apart,  until  now  there  are 
recognized  two  distinct  breeds,  corresponding  in  name  respectively  to 
each  of  the  two  largest  islands.  Prof.  Low  (1842)  seems  to  have  recog- 
nized only  one  breed,  describing  that  one  under  the  name  "Alderney," 
and  merely  mentioning  the  Jersey  and  Guernsey  breeds  in  an  incidental 
way.  In  America  this  condition  of  things  has  been  continually  reversed 
— Jerseys  receiving  most  marked  attention  and  entirely  absorbing  the 
Alderney  name;  while  the  Guernseys,  until  late  years  few  in  numbers, 
have  been  frequently  compelled  to  struggle  even  for  recognition  as  a 
distinct  breed. 

Improvement  of  both  groups  was  effected  by  the  kindly  care  and 
attention  lavished  upon  them.  In  no  portion  of  the  world,  probably,  is 
there  more  attention  given  to  the  comforts  of  the  cow ;  she  is  the  main- 
stay and  source  of  revenue  to  her  owner,  and  holds  a  place  in  his 
affections  justified  by  her  financial  importance.  Under  these  condi- 
tions, supplemented  by  judicious  selection  in  breeding,  they  have  risen 
to  their  present  merited  position.  In  the  United  States,  superior  in- 
ducements have  caused  extra  effort  toward  improvement  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  so-called  fancy  strains,  until  it  may  be  safely  asserted  that 
there  are  as  good  Jerseys  bred  in  America  as  can  be  found  among  those 

125 


126  JERSEYS. 

bred  in  their  native  islands.  Their  importation  to  America  dates  from 
as  early  as  1830,  and  from  1850  to  the  present  time  has  been  rapid  and 
systematic. 

DESCRIPTION     OF     THE     MODERN     JERSEY. 

There  are  four  different  markings  or  styles  of  color  to  be  found 
among  registered  Jerseys  ;  and,  as  tastes  differ,  each  style  is  in  suf- 
ficient demand  to  justify  the  continued  supply,  (i)  Fawn  and  white, 
evenly  variegated  ;  (2)  solid  fawn  ;  (3)  brown  and  white  ;  and  (4) 
solid  brown.  Solid  color  means  all  one  color — that  is,  without  admix- 
ture of  white.  The  solid  browns,  however,  gradually  deepen  to  almost 
pure  black  at  the  head  and  lower  joints  of  the  legs,  forming  what  are 
termed  "black  points."  With  the  solid  fawns  there  are  also  darker 
points,  so  that  the  term  "solid  color"  may  now  be  understood  to  include 
several  widely  different  shades  of  the  same  color. 

In  all  of  these  styles  of  color  there  is  invariably  a  peculiar  light, 
mealy-colored  ring  of  hair  just  at  the  edge  of  and  encircling  the  nos- 
trils— generally  considered  the  distinctive  mark  by  which  even  low- 
grade  Jerseys  may  be  recognized  ;  this  same  mark,  however,  in  slightly 
different  shade,  is  frequently  met  with  among  the  unimproved  Texas  cat- 
tle— a  fact  which  may  serve  to  trace  some  possible  relation  between 
them,  through  the  old  Spanish  cattle  from  which  the  Texas  stock  origi- 
nally sprang. 

The  head  is  small,  close  fleshed,  broad  at  the  forehead  and  narrow 
between  horns,  with  strongly  dished  face  ;  large,  expressive  eyes,  set 
wide  apart  ;  thin,  delicate  ears,  and  small,  crumpled,  amber  colored 
horns.  The  neck  is  thin,  long,  fine  at  the  head,  and  set  into  the 
shoulders,  "ewe-necked;"  shoulders  thin  and  light;  forward  ribs  flat, 
"fish-backed,"  but  increasing  in  curvature  to  the  loin  ;  hips  fairly  wide, 
but  rump  narrow,  and  buttocks  lean  ;  body  deepest  at  the  flank,  pre- 
senting the  V-shaped  outline  of  all  milk  breeds ;  front  legs  short,  fine 
boned,  straight  and  small — hind  legs  somewhat  coarser,  and,  in  the  less 
improved  animals,  rather  crooked.  The  best  improved  specimens  have 
been  bred  away  from  the  crooked  hocks  of  their  ancestors,  and  can  pre- 
sent as  straight  and  clean  a  pair  of  heels  as  one  would  wish  to  see. 
The  Jersey  udder  as  a  rule  is  not  large,  but  its  capacity  is  good,  and  the 
escutcheon,  in  all  its  forms,  is  built  upon  a  rich  orange  yellow  skin, 
which  clearly  marks  the  dominant  characteristic  of  the  animal — but- 
ter. The  general  appearance  of  the  Jersey  is  that  of  all  highly  sen- 
sitive, nervous  temperaments  ;  and,  taken  in  connection  with  its  pecu- 
liar color,  furnishes  a  striking  resemblance  to  the  well-known  South- 
ern deer. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  was  adopted  May  6th,  1885,  by  the 
American  Jersey  Cattle  Club  (J.  J.  Hemingway,  of  New  York  city,  sec- 
retary), and  is  now  in  general  use  : 


JERSEYS. 


127 


K    » 
W 


.H    n 

IF 

c/> 


128  JERSEYS. 

COWS.  BULLS. 

2 Head 2 

i Eyes i 

8 Neck 8 

i Back i 

6 Loin 6 

10 Barrel 10 

10 Hips  and  Rump .    .    .  10 

2 Legs 2 

i Tail i 

5  .    . Skin 5 

13 Fore  Udder 

ii  ...  Hind  Udder 

10 Teats 10 

5 Milk  Veins 

5 Disposition 5 

10 General  Appearance  and  Constitution    .  10 

Progeny    (for  Bulls  when  exhibited  in  a 

separate  class  with  their  progeny)  .    .  29 

ioo Perfection 100 

In  judging  heifers,  use  same  scale  as  for  cows,  omitting  numbers 
n,  12  and  14. 

CHARACTERISTICS. 

As  indicated  above,  the  all-absorbing  trait  of  the  Jersey  cow  is  the 
uniform  richness  of  her  milk  in  butter  content ;  the  globules  are  large, 
causing  the  cream  to  separate  easily  and  quickly  from  the  body  of  the 
milk  ;  and  the  butter  produced  from  it  is  usually  more  highly  colored, 
under  the  same  conditions  as  to  food  and  care,  than  that  of  any  other 
breed  except,  perhaps,  Guernseys.  In  size  the  Jersey  ranks  with  the 
small  breeds,  mature  bulls  weighing  from  1,000  to  1,300  Ibs.,  cows  from 
650  to  950  Ibs. 

As  a  family  cow  to  supply  cream  or  butter,  or  both,  for  the  home 
table,  the  Jersey  has  no  superior.  For  the  butter  dairy,  as  a  special- 
purpose  cow,  she  is  also  excellent,  if  not  queen. 

Landseer's  Fancy  made  936  Ibs.  14^  dzs.  in  one  year  ;  Massena 
made  902  Ibs.  3  ozs.;  Matilda,  4th,  made  927  Ibs.  8^  ozs. ;  more  recently 
Bisson's  Belle,  31144 — owned  by  Maury  Jersey  Farm,  Columbia,  Tenn. 
— made  1,028  Ibs.  15  ^  ozs.  butter  in  one  year,  from  a  yield  of  8,412 
Ibs.  7  ozs.  of  milk  ;  and  still  more  recently,  and  heading  the  Jersey  list 
for  butter  yield  in  365  successive  days,  comes  Signal's  Lily  Flagg,  31035 
— owned  by  Matthews  and  Moore,  Huntsville,  Alabama — with  a  year's 
record  of  1,047  Ibs.  o^  oz.  butter  from  a  yield  of  11,339  Ibs.  milk. 

These  records  are  phenomenal,  of  course,  and  represent  high  feed- 
ing and  still  higher  care,  but  none  the  less  are  they  important  as  show- 
ing the  recognized  butter  value  of  the  Jersey  breed.  The  yield  of 
Bisson's  Belle  is  really  most  remarkable  on  account  of  the  small  yield  of 
milk  reported  as  producing  such  an  enormous  yield  of  butter.  A  simple 
operation  in  long  division  shows  that  it  took,  in  round  numbers,  a  trifle 
less  than  8^  Ibs.  (about  a  gallon)  of  her  milk  on  an  average  throughout 


JERSEYS. 


I2g 


130  JERSEYS. 

the  entire  year  to  produce  a  pound  of  "well- worked,  marketable  butter, 
salted  not  heavier  than  one  ounce  to  the  pound."  The  ratio  of  butter 
to  milk  is  so  remarkable,  indeed,  that  many  doubt  the  record  reported, 
and  declare  it  a  physical  impossibility.  Signal's  Lily  Flagg,  the  present 
Jersey  Queen,  averaged  throughout  the  year  one  pound  of  butter  to  a 
trifle  less  than  10^  Ibs.  milk.  She  is  certainly  a  wonderful  cow.  Her 
record  and  that  of  Bisson's  Belle  were  reported  in  good  faith  by  honor- 
able gentlemen,  whose  personal  integrity  cannot  be  questioned,  and  we 
see  no  reason  to  doubt  their  published  and  certified  statements. 

It  is  unfortunate  that  the  breeders  of  all  classes  of  dairy  stock  have 
not  been  able  to  agree  upon  at  least  co-ordinate  chemical  tests  for 
actual  butter  fat  at  stated  intervals  throughout  the  churn  test  period. 
Every  maker  of  good  butter  knows  that  the  churn  is  but  a  tool  in  the 
hands  of  the  churner,  and  that  very  many  conditions  surround  to  influ- 
ence the  churn  result.  The  chemical  test  can  do  no  harm,  and  may  do 
untold  good  in  checking  up  the  churner,  not  the  churn.  In  our  opinion 
those  who  fight  against  the  well-known  accuracy  of  tests  for  butter  fat — 
on  one  excuse  or  other — are  standing  in  their  own  most-needed  light  and 
holding  back  the  wheels  of  dairy  progress. 

The  beef  capacity  of  the  Jersey  breed  is  small.  If  sex  in  offspring 
could  be  controlled,  it  might  be  profitable  to  breed  Jerseys  on  a  large 
scale  for  their  butter  feature  alone,  but  since  the  number  of  steer  calves 
is  usually  equal  to  the  number  of  heifers,  and  since  there  is  always  a 
greater  or  less  number  of  heifers  deficient  in  milking  quality,  which  must 
be  fed  for  the  butcher,  it  is  evident  that  breeding  Jerseys  for  home  use — 
not  for  sale  as  breeding  stock — might  prove  a  losing  business. 

The  farmer  who  keeps  a  few  cows,  and  depends  on  the  annual  sale 
of  a  few  fat  steers  to  meet  his  expenses,  demands  a  breed  of  larger  frame 
and  greater  aptitude  for  beef;  but  in  their  legitimate  sphere,  Jerseys  must 
always  rank  deservedly  high. 

It  is  very  commonly  stated  that  the  bulls  of  this  breed  are  vicious 
and  ill-tempered.  We  think  this  opinion  is  based  upon  nothing  more 
than  the  fact  of  their  extremely  nervous  temperament,  already  referred 
to.  They  undoubtedly  require  skillful  handling;  but  when  so  managed, 
are  not  more  inclined  to  viciousness  than  the  bulls  of  other  breeds. 
Because  there  are  at  present  so  many  Jerseys  in  the  Southern  states, 
there  has  arisen  a  very  popular  but  erroneous  notion  that  they  accli- 
mate with  greater  safety  than  cattle  of  other  breeds;  the  real  facts  in  the 
case  are,  that  at  least  three  of  the  improved  breeds  rank  ahead  of  them 
in  this  respect — their  greater  number  in  the  South  being  due  to  their 
earlier  importation,  and  hence  longer  period  for  the  breeding  of  accli- 
mated stock. 

A  study  of  the  illustrations,  engraved  after  sketches  from  life  by  a 
well-known  artist,  will  give  a  good  idea  of  this  valuable  breed. 


Chapter  XXIV. 


GUERNSEYS. 

This  breed,  having  an  origin  probably  identical  with  that  of  the 
Jersey,  has  rapidly  but  surely  increased,  both  in  popularity  and  inherent 
worth.  Near  the  large  cities  of  the  United  States,  Guernseys  are  now 
found  in  considerable  numbers,  and  there  is  a  growing  sentiment  in  their 
favor  throughout  the  entire  country.  They  were  introduced  into  Amer- 
ica about  the  time  of  the  first  Jersey  importations,  but  have  not  become 
so  widely  distributed  or  so  generally  known. 


IMPORTED  GUERNSEY  COW,  SELECT,  2205. 

Property  of  J.  W.  FULLER,  Catasauqua,  Pa. 


DESCRIPTION    AND     CHARACTERISTICS. 

These  points  may  be  best  studied  by  comparing  them  briefly  with 
the  full  description  of  the  Jersey  already  given.  They  are  larger  and 
coarser,  being  rather  inclined  to  appear  bony.  Color  varies;  yellow, 
yellowish  or  reddish  fawn,  and  brown,  of  solid  colors,  frequently  with 
considerable  spotting  of  white,  and  showing  the  same  mealy-colored 
ring — although  less  marked — about  the  nostrils.  Bones  are  larger,  head 
longer,  and  general  appearance  indicative  more  of  utility  than  beauty. 
-She  is,  like  her  Jersey  sister,  a  milk  and  butter  cow,  and  in  her  place 


132 


GUERNSEYS. 


ranks  as   good  as   the   best.       The  butter   made  from  Guernsey  cows  is 
claimed  to  be  even  more  highly  colored  than  that  from  the  Jersey. 

At  the  New  Jersey  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  the  recently 
conducted  breed  tests  show  very  strongly  in  favor  of  the  Guernsey  as  a 
profitable  dairy  cow,  placing  her  ahead  of  the  Jersey  on  a  basis  of  net 
profit,  as  shown  by  the  following  summary: 


Total  milk  Total  butter  fat 

in 300  days.  in  300  days. 

Guernsey,  5,730  Ibs.       291  Ibs 
Jersey,         5,535  Ibs.       270  Ibs. 


Total  value  butter  fat     Total  cost  food 
@  25  cts.  per  Ib.  in  300  days. 


$72  75- 

$67.50. 


$44.70. 
$48.30. 


Total  profit 
per  cow. 

$28.05. 
$10.20. 


Quality  of  milk,  30 


Quantity    and    du- 
ration of  flow,  40 


Size  and  substance 
,     16 


Of  course  "one  swallow  does  not  make  a  summer,"  but  the  single 
test  made  as  above  stated  shows  that  the  Guernseys  selected  for  the  test 
were  superior  animals — certainly  superior  to  the  Jerseys  with  which  they 
were  there  compared. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  has  been  adopted  by  the  American 
Guernsey  Cattle  Club  (Edward  Norton,  of  Farmington,  Conn.,  secre- 
tary): 

Skin  deep  yellow,  in  ear,  on  end  of  bone  of  tail,  at  base  of 

horn,  on  udder,  teats  and  body  generally 20 

Skin  loose,  mellow,  with   fine,    soft  hair 10 

Escutcheon  wide  on  thighs,  high  and  broad,  with  thigh  ovals.  8 

Milk  veins  long  and  prominent .-  .  6 

Udder  full  in  front  .......    \ 6 

Udder  full  and  well  up   behind.    (    18* -»-...  8 

Udder  large  but  not  fleshy    .    .        ) 4 

Udder  Teats  squarely  placed .";,..  4 

.  Udder  teats  of  good  size 4 

Size  for  the  breed 5 

Not  too  light  bone      i 

Barrel  round   and  deep  at  flank 

Hips  and  joints  wide 

Rump  long  and  broad - .  •  — 

^  Thighs  and  withers  thin 

Back  level   to  setting-on  of  tail 

Throat  clean,    with  small  dewlap  ..... 

Legs  not  too  long,  with  hocks  well  apart  in  walking  ....  2 

Tail  long  and  thin i 

Horns  curved  and  not  coarse 2 

Head  rather  long  and  fine,  with  quiet  and  gentle  expression.  3 

General  appearance 2 

100      Perfection 100 

*  For  bulls  deduct  the  18  points  for  Udder  from  above. 

Of  our  illustrations  we  may  say,  in  brief:  Imported  Select  brought 
with  her  from  the  island  a  record  of  22  Ibs.  8  ozs.  of  well-worked  and 
salted  butter  in  seven  days,  and  of  milk  showing  18.05  Per  cent-  total 
solids,  of  which  8.09  per  cent,  was  fat,  with  a  yield  of  about  22^4  quarts 
a  day,  on  a  ration  of  three  quarts  of  crushed  oats  and  three  of  wheat 


Symmetry 


GUERNSKVS. 


133 


:       O 


c     o 
l| 

i  7 

o   o 


M     -» 


5-   33 


134 


GUERNSEYS. 


IMPORTED  GUERNSEY  COW,  JOLIE  ad,  2206. 

Property  of  J.  W.  FULLER,  Catasauqua,  Pa. 

bran  a  day,  and  grass.  (Select  is  now  dead.)  Jolie,  ad,  is  perhaps  the 
best  cow  in  Mr.  Fuller's  herd,  and  gives  when  in  full  milk  33  quarts  per 
day.  In  1884  this  cow  won  the  first  Island  prize  over  her  famous  half- 
sister,  Flukes.  Windfall  is  also  a  wonderful  milker,  and  although  well 
advanced  in  years,  may  still  be  ranked  as  one  of  the  prime  Guernseys  in 
America. 

Midas,  the  pride  of  Vice  President  Morton's  Ellerslie  herd,  is  a 
magnificent  bull,  both  in  blood  and  individuality,  and  is  justly  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  best  Guernsey  bulls  in  the  world. 


IMPORTED  GUERNSEY  COW,  WINDFALL,  2216. 

Property  of  J.  W.  FULLER,  Catasauqua,  Pa. 


Chapter   XXV. 


AYRSHIRES. 

The  Ayrshire  breed — which  takes  its  name  from  the  county  or 
shire  of  Ayr,  Scotland — is  of  comparatively  recent  origin;  in  Cully's 
work  on  Live  Stock  (1790)  it  is  not  even  mentioned.  Aiton  in  1825 
mentioned  it,  but  described  an  entirely  different  animal  from  the  present 
improved  Ayshire.  Even  as  late  as  1842  Prof.  Low  closes  his  history 
of  their  origin  as  follows: 

"We  may  assume,  then,  from  all  the  evidence  which,  in  the  absence  of  authentic 
documents,  the  case  admits  of,  that  the  dairy  breed  of  Ayrshire  owes  the  characters  which 
distinguish  it  from  the  older  race  to  a  mixture  with  the  blood  of  races  of  the  continent, 
and  of  the  dairy  breed  of  Alderney." 


"^v*3 


-..s^aam/^iKmrfHUS^---—.:      .  :::.   .:E-i:-=iir;r^^r^-=5*^ 


AYRSHIRE  BULL,   SIR  HUGH,   2582. 

Property  of  H.  R.  C.  WATSON,  West  Farms,  N.  Y. 

Afterwards,  in  the  same  chapter,  he  gives  us  a  pretty  definite  idea 
as  to  how  the  later  improvement  was  effected  in  the  statement  that 
"some  breeders  in  Ayrshire  have  begun  to  cross  the  breed  with  the 
Shorthorns."  Allen  (American  Cattle)  makes  a  shrewd  "guess"  as  to 
how  the  improvement  was  brought  about.  He  says  : 

"It  could  be  from  no  other  than  the  direct  cross  of  small,  compact  Shorthorn  bulls, 
descended  from  the  best  milking  cows  in  the   northeastern  counties  of   England,  on  the 

135 


136  AYRSHIRES. 

cows  descended  from  the  Holderness  bulls  of  Lord  Marchmont,  and  their  crosses  from 
the  'conjectured' Dutch  bulls  brought  in  by  Mr.  Danlop.  From  no  other  race  of 
cattle,  either  Scotch,  English  or  Irish,  could  the  improved  Ayshires  get  their  shape, 
color  and  milking  qualities  combined." 

They  are  undoubtedly  based  on  the  hardy  West  Highland  or  Kyloe 
stock  ;  that  the  Alderney  or  Jersey  breed  was  used  in  the  crosses,  would 
appear  from  the  early  descriptions  given;  and  that  the  "guess"  made 
by  Allen  may  at  least  approximate  the  truth,  is  evidenced  by  the  present 
appearance  of  the  breed  and  the  gradual  change  it  has  made  within  the 

past  40  or  50  years. 

i 

DESCRIPTION    OF    MODERN    AYRSHIRE. 

Color  varies  almost  as  much  as  in  Shorthorns,  and  is,  indeed,  very 
much  the  same — red  and  white  predominating  ;  but  in  many  individuals 
black  hairs  scattered  through  the  red  give  a  blue  and  white  color  which 
we  have  never  seen  among  pure  Shorthorns.  Roans  are  quite  common, 
and  roan  and  white,  or  patched  roans,  were  formerly  very  abundant. 
Later  breeders,  however,  require  colors,  of  whatever  shade,  to  be  distinct. 

The  general  outline  of  the  body  is  similar  to  that  of  all  milk  breeds 
— being  light  and  narrow  in  front  and  gradually  deepening  toward  the 
hind  quarters.  The  head  is  narrow  and  close  fleshed — in  the  bull  wider, 
but  still  showing  the  more  delicate  contour  peculiar  to  bulls  of  milking 
strains — with  bright  medium  sized  eyes,  and  small  horns,  showing  a 
tendency,  among  cattle  of  our  acquaintance,  to  assume  more  or  less  ir- 
regular positions  ;  ears  thin  and  well  coated  ;  neck  fine,  without  dewlap 
— in  the  bull  naturally  arched  ;  body  deepening  toward  the  flank  ;  ribs, 
at  first  flat,  arching  toward  the  loin  ;  loin,  hips  and  rump  full  and  even 
with  the  back ;  tail  dropping  squarely  ;  legs  straight  with  rather  thin 
twist,  and  brisket  close  and  firm  fleshed.  The  udder  of  the  Ayshire 
cow  is  her  special  peculiarity  ;  it  is  large  but  so  broad  and  vertically 
flattened  as  to  appear  small ;  it  spreads  out  well  both  in  front  and  to 
rear — divisions  strongly  marked,  with  small  cylindrical  teats,  wide  apart 
and  evenly  placed.  Her  escutcheons  are  usually  of  a  high  order — 
especially  the  front  ovals  being  well  developed,  and  the  milk  veins  show 
with  considerable  prominence. 

In  general  appearance,  the  Ayrshire  of  the  present  day  has  lost  much 
of  the  lean,  ungainly  outline  once  supposed  to  be  necessarily  co-existent 
with  dairy  excellence,  and  assumed  a  neat,  trim,  well  rounded,  though 
not  beefy,  form,  which  cannot  fail  to  increase  its  popularity. 

CHARACTERISTICS. 

We  regard  it  as  a  waste  of  argument  to  try  to  convince  the  public — 
as  many  have  attempted — that  the  Ayrshires  are  general-purpose  ani- 
mals ;  they  are,  and  have  been,  a  distinctive  class  of  milk  stock,  differ- 
ing from  all  known  breeds  in  the  high  per  cent,  of  casein  or  cheesy  mat- 


AYRST1IRES. 


137 


i38 


AYRSHIRES. 


ter  of  the  milk.  For  butter,  the  Ayrshire  has  not  been  classed  among 
the  best,  for  the  reason  that  the  globules  are  not  equal  in  size,  causing 
the  cream  to  rise  unevenly,  and  injuring  the  grain  of  the  butter  by  reason 
of  protracted  churning  ;  the  use  of  the  centrifugal  in  cream  separation 
practically  does  away  with  the  first  objection,  but  the  second  has  yet  to 
be  overcome  before  they  can  take  high  rank  as  butter  producers.  In 
quantity  of  milk  they  excel  the  Jersey,  but  fall  short  of  the  Holstein- 
Friesian  ;  the  percentage  of  fat  in  the  milk  is  good,  and,  taken  in  con- 
nection with  the  large  amount  of  casein,  renders  the  milk  from  an 
Ayrshire  dairy  pre-eminent  for  cheese. 


AYRSHIRE  COW. 

Property  of  H.  R.  C.  WATSON,  West  Farms,  N.  Y. 

Their  beef  claims  must  be  accepted  with  some  latitude.  Unques- 
tionably they  produce  excellent  beef  under  favorable  conditions,  but 
there  is  too  great  a  tendency  toward  milk  to  admit  of  any  very  marked 
aptitude  for  fattening.  In  size  they  rank  with  the  small  breeds — mature 
bulls  weighing  from  1,200  to  1,500  Ibs. ,  and  cows  from  900  to  1,100  Ibs. 

As  showing  the  average  yield  under  ordinary  conditions,  and  with 
very  light  feed,  we  give  the  public  record  of  the  herd  owned  by  C.  M. 
Winslow,  Brandon,  Vt. : 

Average   of    10  cows  for    year  1880,  each    6,035    Ibs.    milk. 

ii  "  "  1881,  "  6,176 

"  9  "  "  1882,  "  6,672 

75      "  "  1883,       "      6,168 

16  "  "  1884,  "  6,814 

"  15  "  "  1885,  "  7,025 


AYRSHIRES.  139 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  to  be  used  in  connection  with  de- 
scription given  was  adopted  by  the  Ayrshire  Breeders'  Association,  C. 
M.  Winslow,  secretary,  Feb.  4th,  1885  : 

COWS.  BULLS. 

10 Head 10 

5 Neck 10 

5 Fore  quarters 7 

10 Back 10 

8 Hind  quarters 10 

33 Udder 

Scrotum  and  Rudimentary  teats  .    .    .    .  10 

3 Legs 5 

5 Skin  and  Hair 10 

3 Color 3 

8 Live  Weight 10 

10 General  appearance 15 

100 Perfection 100 

Referring  to  our  illustrations  :  Dutchess  of  Smithfield,  4256,  has 
a  record  of  10,748  Ibs.  of  milk  in  one  year,  and  19  Ibs.  6  ozs.  butter  in 
seven  days  ;  she  won  first  prizes  at  Rhode  Island  State  Fairs  of  1879  to 
r88i  ;  at  Woonsocket,  1879  ;  and  second  prize  at  New  York  State  Fair 
m  1882.  Sir  Hugh,  2582,  won  first  prize  at  New  York  State  Fair  in 
z882,  and  second  for  bull  and  four  of  his  get,  at  New  York  Dairy  and 
Cattle  Show,  1887.  The  large  engraving — group  from  the  herd  of 
Coldren  &  Lee — shows  the  variety  in  color  markings  common  to  the 
breed  by  a  predominance  of  white,  and  represents  a  fair  sample  of  the 
excellent  herd  from  which  it  is  taken. 


Chapter  XXVI. 


DUTCH-BELTED  CATTLE. 

Natives  of  Holland,  and  of  a  pure  black  and  white  color,  they  have 
been  frequently  described  as  peculiarly  marked  Holstein-Friesians.  It 
must  bs  remembered,  however,  that  no  matter  how  closely  these  two 
Dutch  races  of  cattle  may  have  been  related  at  first,  they  are  now  justly 
recognized  as  pure  and  distinct  breeds. 

The  original  name  of  the  Dutch-Belted  cattle,  and  the  one  still  used 
in  Holland  is  "Lakenfield"  cattle — the  name  having  reference  to  the 
peculiar  white  belt  or  sheet  passing  completely  around  the  body.  From 
the  first  volume  of  the  Dutch-Belted  Cattle  Herd  Book,  we  quote  : 

"Their  breeding  dates  back  to  beyond  the  seventeenth  century;" 
And  again  : 

"These  cattle  were  solely  controlled  by  the  nobility  of  Holland,  and  they  are  to  the 
present  time  keeping  them  pure,  but  are  not  inclined  to  part  with  them" — 

A  fact  which  may  account  for  the  comparatively  small  number  found  at 
present  in  America. 

The  peculiar  color  markings  of  these  cattle  show  an  attainment  in 
the  science  of  breeding  really  wonderful.  Prof.  Low  attributes  the 
first  appearance  of  the  belted  marking  to  a  cross  between  two  fixed 
original  breeds  of  opposite  color,  and  this  theory  is  doubtless  correct ; 
but  to  found  a  breed  which  will  transmit  such  peculiar  points  with 
certainty — as  do  the  Dutch-Belted  cattle — was  a  task,  the  magnitude  of 
which  is  only  excelled  by  the  result  attained. 

Among  the  first  importers  to  America  were  D.  H.  Haight,  of 
Goshen,  N.  Y. — who  made  the  first  importation  to  the  United  States  in 
1838  ;  W.  R.  Coleman,  and  P.  T.  Barnum — the  nation's  showman. 
Mr.  Barnum  says  : 

"They  struck  my  fancy  in  Holland.      I  imported   them,  and  found  their  unique  and 
singular  appearance  not  their  best  recommendation,  for  they  are  excellent  milkers." 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color,  as  already  mentioned,  jet  black  with  a  broad  band  or  "  belt " 
of  purest  white  passing  completely  around  the  body.  The  milk  outline 
is  beautifully  shown  in  long  head,  fine,  rather  thin  neck — well  arched  in 
bull,  but  still  fine  at  head,  small  horns,  wide  chest,  straight  back, 
broad,  level  hips,  deep  quarters,  and  square,  well-placed  udder.  In 
size  they  are  somewhat  above  medium — mature  cows  weighing  from  900 

140 


DUTCH-BELTED     CATTLE. 


142  DUTCH-BELTED    CATTLE. 

to  1,200  Ibs. ;  and  bulls  from  1,600  to  2,000  Ibs.  They  are  strong  and 
vigorous  ;  usually  kind  and  docile  in  disposition,  and  transmit,  with 
great  certainty,  all  their  original  qualities. 

In  addition  to  the  above  we  give  the  following  standard  description, 
combined  with  Scale  of  Points,  which  has  been  formally  adopted  by  the 
Dutch-Belted  Cattle  Association  of  America  : 

COWS.  BULLS. 

8 Color 13 

(Body  color  black,  with  a  clearly  defined  continuous  white  belt.  The 
belt  to  be  of  medium  width,  beginning  behind  the  shoulder  and 
extending  nearly  to  the  hips.) 

6 Head 6 

(Comparatively  long  and  somewhat  dishing — broad  between  the 
eyes;  poll  prominent;  muzzle  fine;  dark  tongue.) 

4 Eyes  and    Horns 4 

(Eyes  black,  full  and  mild;  horns  long,  compared  with  their  diameter.) 

6 Neck    6 

(Fine  and  moderately  thin,  and  should  harmonize  in  symmetry  with 
•the  neck  and  shoulders. ) 

4 Shoulders    9 

(Fine  at  the  top,  becoming  deep  and  broad  as  they  extend  backward 
and  downward,  with  a  low  chest.) 

10 Barrel 10 

(Large  and  deep,  with  well  developed  abdomen;  ribs  well  rounded 
and  free  from  fat.) 

10 Hips 10 

(Broad,  with  level  chine  and  full  loin.) 

6 Rump 6 

(High,  long  and  broad.) 

8 Hindquarters 8 

(Long  and  deep,  rear  line  incurving;  tail  long,  thin,  tapering  to  a  full 
switch.) 

3 Legs 3 

(Short,  clean,  standing  well  apart.) 

20 Udder 

(Large,  well  developed  front  and  rear;  teats  of  convenient  size  and 
wide  apart ;  mammary  veins  large,  long  and  crooked,  entering 
large  orifices. ) 

Rudimentary  teats 10 

(Size  and  wide-spread  placing.) 

2 Escutcheon 2 

3 Hair  and  Skin 3 

(Fine  and  soft ;  skin  of  moderate  thickness,  of  a  rich  dark  or  yellow 
color.) 

4 Disposition 4 

(Quiet;  animal  free  from  excessive  fat.) 
6..  ..  General  condition  and  constitution  6 


100 Perfection 100 

They  are  a  dairy  breed,  the  cows  producing  a  large  quantity  of  milk,  which  is  above 
the  average  in  butter  content.  For  beef  they  are  fair,  standing  fully  equal  to  other 
dairy  breeds  in  this  respect.  Our  illustrations  are  from  the  herd  of  Mr.  H.  B.  Richards 
— the  genial  secretary  of  the  society  and  editor  of  the  "  Dutch-Belted  Cattle  Herd 
Book" — and  are  excellent  portraits  of  his  celebrated  cow,  Lady  Aldine,  and  the  bull, 
Edward  the  Great,  now  owned,  we  believe,  in  Illinois. 


DUTCH-BELTED     CATTLE. 


Chapter   XXVII. 


AMERICAN    HOLDERNESS. 

The  origin  and  history  of  this  breed  are  fraught  with  singular  in- 
terest as  illustrating  the  peculiar  methods  used  by  breeders  in  fixing  type. 

Some  fifty  or  sixty  years  ago,  Mr.  Truman  A.  Cole,  of  Solsville, 
N.  Y. ,  purchased  a  cow  of  imported  stock  called  "  Holderness  " — origi- 
nally from  the  West  Riding  of  Yorkshire,  England  ;  she  was  red  and 
white  in  color,  of  large  size,  an  excellent  milker,  and  was  at  the  time  in 
calf  by  a  bull  of  the  same  breed.  Her  offspring  proved  to  be  a  male  ; 
when  this  calf  was  a  yearling,  he  was  bred  to  his  own  mother,  the  re- 
sult being  a  heifer  calf,  which  was  afterwards  bred  to  the  same  bull. 
To  put  the  history  of  their  improvement  in  a  nutshell  :  Mr.  Cole  has 
continually  and  closely  in-bred,  never  admitting  a  single  drop  of  outside 
blood  until  he  has  produced  a  breed  thoroughly  fixed  in  type,  and  ac- 
curately transmitting  even  the  least  of  its  distinguishing  qualities.  A 
remarkable  change  has  taken  place  in  their  color  markings  as  seen  from 
the  following 

DESCRIPTION    OF     AMERICAN    HOLDERNESS. 

When  first  dropped,  the  sides,  neck  and  head  are  reddish  brown  ; 
as  they  increase  in  age  this  color  changes  to  a  dark  brown  or  jet  black, 
while  the  white  lines  on  the  back  and  belly  remain  unchanged  from 
birth.  The  legs  correspond  in  color  with  the  sides,  except  at  the  belly 
line,  where  a  white  band  is  thrown  across,  presenting  a  novel  and  at- 
tractive design.  (This  change  from  the  former  Shorthorn  colors  of  the 
Yorkshire  cattle  can  only  be  accounted  for  by  assuming  that  the  close 
incestuous  breeding  practiced  by  Mr.  Cole  has  caused  them  to  revert  to 
the  colors  of  their  original  Dutch  ancestry.) 

In  size  they  are  nearly  equal  to  the  Holstein-Friesians ;  and  in  out- 
line also  very  similar.  The  head  is  neat,  close-fleshed,  long  in  the  cow 
and  shorter  in  the  bull ;  horns  short  and  curving  forward  ;  neck  fine  at 
head — in  the  bull  arching — and  well  set  on  at  shoulders  ;  back  keeping 
up  an  even,  straight  line  from  the  shoulders  to  the  drop  of  the  tail;  flanks 
deep  ;  udder  large,  broad,  well  forward,  with  good-sized  teats,  placed 
evenly  and  wide  apart. 

They  are  emphatically  a  dairy  breed,  as  illustrated  by  the  fact  that 
nineteen  cows  of  Mr.  Cole's  herd — two  years  old  and  upwards — actually 
made  5,860  Ibs.  of  butter  during  the  season  of  1879 — an  average  of  a 

1 44 


AMERICAN     HOLDERNESS. 


146  AMERICAN    HOLDERNESS. 

little  over  308  pounds  of  butter  to  each  cow.  Mr.  Cole  states  that  he 
could  easily  have  brought  up  the  average  to  350  pounds,  if  he  had  not 
raised  the  calves.  While  not  equaling  the  Holstein-Friesians  in  quantity 
of  milk,  they  are  said  to  excel  them  in  richness  of  product  for  butter. 
Their  beef  qualities  are  also  good,  and  taken  all  in  all,  we  predict  for 
them  a  popular  reception  in  strict  keeping  with  their  merits.  They  are 
by  no  means  generally  known  ;  yet  they  have  found  a  foothold  in  nearly 
all  of  the  Northern  states,  and  wherever  found  are  rapidly  growing  in 
favor. 

Our  illustrations,  better  than  any  description,  will  give  an  excellent 
idea  of  their  appearance.  Mr.  Cole's  herd  has  become  justly  celebrated  ; 
and  by  his  skill  and  carefulness,  he  has  won  for  himself  a  most  enviable 
reputation  as  a  patient  and  painstaking  breeder,  and  as  the  originator  of 
the  American  Holderness  breed. 


AMERICAN     HOLDERNESS. 


H7 


Chapter   XXVIII. 


BROWN    SWISS. 

The  history  of  this  breed  may  be  given  briefly  by  stating  that  it  has 
been  built  up  step  by  step  from  the  common  bovine  ancestry  of  Switzer- 
land and  neighboring  countries.  Improvement  has  been  effected  almost 
solely  by  selection  and  light  in-breeding,  and  is  most  noticeable  in  those 
districts  or  "-cantons"  of  Switzerland,  like  Schwytz,  which  are  peopled 
by  progressive,  well-to-do  farmers — men  who  have  always  taken  great 
pride  in  their  cattle,  and,  prompted  no  doubt  by  local  jealousies,  have 
striven,  each,  to  make  his  herd  the  best  and  purest  of  the  race. 

IMPORTATION     TO     AMERICA. 

In  the  United  States  the  Brown  Swiss  have  been  slow  to  find  pur- 
chasers until  within  the  last  few  years.  The  first  importation  was  made 
by  H.  M.  Clarke,  of  Belmont,  Mass.,  about  1870,  since  which  time  sev- 
eral importations  have  been  made,  and  the  demand  in  the  United  States 
is  now  quite  active.  The  Brown  Swiss  Breeders'  Association  has  been 
organized,  and  Volume  I.  of  their  record  appeared  in  1881.  N.  S.  Fish, 
Groton,  Conn.,  is  secretary  of  the  association.  In  the  Eastern  states 
this  breed  has  already  attained  considerable  prominence,  while  in  the 
West  and  South  it  is  little  known. 

DESCRIPTION     AND     CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  solid  chestnut  bronze,  somewhat  lighter  at  the  back  and 
belly  line,  and  showing  the  same  mealy  ring  at  the  muzzle,  so  well 
known  as  characteristic  of  the  Jerseys.  The  hoofs,  tongue,  nose  and 
switch  of  the  tail  are  always  black,  while  the  light  belly  line  extends 
more  or  less  over  the  escutcheon  and  inner  surface  of  the  legs.  In  size 
they  are  above  medium,  mature  bulls  weighing  from  1,700  to  2,100  Ibs., 
and  cows  from  1,100  to  1,300  Ibs.  The  head  is  large  ;  horns  short  and 
waxy,  with  black  tips  ;  ears  well  covered  inside  with  long,  light-colored 
hair  ;  neck  short,  with  rather  heavy  dewlap  ;  legs  short  and  straight, 
with  wide  thighs  and  deep  quarters,  and  general  outline  showing  the 
milk  breed.  The  cows  have  excellent  escutcheons,  well  formed  udders, 
and  give  a  good  quantity  of  rich  milk. 

The  remarkable  record  of  the  Brown  Swiss  cow,  Brienz,  168,  made 
during  the  Fat  Stock  Show,  Chicago,  111.,  Nov.  1891,  has  brought  prom- 

148 


BROWN    SWISS. 


I49 


BROWN  SWISS  BULL,   ELMO,  306. 

Owned  by  N.  S.  Fish,  Groton,  Conn. 


BROWN  SWISS  COW,  MUATTA,   155- 

Owned  by  N.  S.  Fish,  Groton,  Conn. 


150  BROWN    SWISS. 

inently  forward  the  claim  of  the  breed  to  a  position  in  the  front  rank  for 
butter.  Brienz  gave  in  three  days  245  Ibs.  milk,  which  by  the  Babcock 
test  contained  9.32  Ibs.  of  fat.  The  first  day  her  yield  was  81.05  Ibs.  °f 
milk,  containing  3.25  Ibs.  of  fat;  and  her  average  was  81.5  Ibs.  milk,  con- 
taining 3. 1  Ibs.  fat  per  day,  the  largest  official  yield  of  pure  butter  fat 
'  ever  made  by  a  cow  of  any  breed,  when  under  show  excitement  away 
from  home. 

As  to  the  ease  with  which  they  acclimate  in  the  fever  belt,  we  have 
as  yet  no  information.  The  cattle  are  thrifty,  mature  early  and  promise 
to  find  abundant  favor  in  the  Western  states  for  the  dairy. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  has  been  adopted  by  the  Brown  Swiss 
Breeders'  Association: 

Head 2  Forward 39 

Face 2      Thighs -4= 

Ears .  i      Legs !$ 

Nose 2      Tail.    . 4 

Eyes i       Hide • .  "3 

Horns 5      Color 6 

Neck 4      Fore-udder 10 

Chest 4      Hind-udder 10 

Back ...  6      Teats ".....    5 

Barrel 8      Milk-veins 4 

Hips 4      Escutcheon 7 

Disposition 4 


Forward 39 


Perfection    .  .100 


In  judging  bulls  and  heifers,  omit  the  points  for  Fore-udder,  Hind- 
udder  and  Teats,  as  above  given  ;  and  in  color  they  should  be  dark 
brown. 

Our  illustrations — all  originally  from  photographs — may  be  ac- 
cepted as  accurate  representations  of  the  breed. 


BROWN     SWISS. 


Chapter  XXIX. 


BRITTANY  CATTLE. 

From  best  authority  obtainable,  this  breed  of  cattle  has  an  origin 
much  in  common  with  that  of  the  Holstein-Friesian;  difference  in  cli- 
mate, soil  and  vegetation  having,  through  years  of  time,  made  the  dif- 
ference in  size  and  in  other  respects  as  now  observed.  The  breed  is 
now  said  to  be  "native"  to  the  five  departments  of  France  which  for- 


BRITTANY   BULL 

merly  made  up  the  province  of  Bretagne,  and  in  support  of  the  state- 
ment as  to  origin,  it  may  be  noted,  that  considerable  variation  among 
the  cattle,  as  to  size  and  milking  capacity,  is  found  in  the  various  local- 
ities of  their  native  province. 

A  few  have  been  imported  to  the  United  States  at  various  times 
within  the  last  decade,  but  they  are  by  no  means  generally  known.  Mr. 
W.  B.  Montgomery,  of  Starkville,  Miss,  (better  known  as  a  breeder  of 
Jerseys)  has  a  herd  of  12  or  15  cows  and  two  bulls.  Writing  to  the  au- 
thor under  date  August  6,  1888,  this  gentleman  says: 

"They  are  the  hardiest  of  all  the  breeds  of  which  I  have  any  knowledge,  and  on 
scant  pasturage  and  poor  soil  will  give  better  results  in  the  butter  dairy  than  any  breed 
with  which  I  am  acquainted.  On  moderately  fertile  land,  and  with  proper  care  and  atten- 

152 


SHORTHORNS     OR     DURHAMS. 


161 


ii 


l62  SHORTHORNS    OR     DURHAMS. 

In  the  Southern  states — comprising  what  is  known  as  the  "fever  belt" 
— they  have  not  proved  easy  to  acclimate,  averaging  a  high  percentage 
of  mortality  when  brought  into  this  region.  Good  animals,  old  enough 
for  service,  and  recorded  in  the  American  Herd  Book,  can  be  obtained 
at  from  $100  to  $200  of  any  responsible  breeder. 

The  individuals  so  well  represented  by  our  illustrations  need  no  in- 
troduction to  any  one  familiar  with  Shorthorns.  They  are  represental 
tive  animals  of  the  strains  to  which  they  belong,  and  their  breeders  are 
men  of  unquestioned  integrity. 


Chapter  XXXII. 


RED-POLLED  CATTLE. 

The  Red-Polls,  while  tracing  their  history  well  back  into  the  last 
century,  have  only  recently  attracted  any  considerable  attention.  Their 
origin  is  somewhat  clouded  in  obscurity.  Suffolk  county,  England,  had 
from  very  early  times  a  breed  of  polled  cattle,  and  it  is  more  than  prob- 
able that  this  Suffolk  breed  had  much  to  do  with  moulding  the  type  of, 
and  dehorning  the  Norfolk  breed,  which  was  the  first  to  attract  attention 
from  outside  parties.  From  their  general  resemblance  to  the  Devons 
(excepting  horns)  we  would  look  for  a  common  ancestry  somewhere  in 
the  early  history  of  the  breeds.  Marshall,  in  his  Rural  Economy  of  Nor- 
folk, states  that  the  breed  of  Norfolk,  about  1780,  was  a  "Herefordshire 
breed  in  miniature,"  and  that  the  color  was  "blood-red,  with  a  white  or 
mottled  face."  He  further  traces  the  changes  of  the  breed,  by  crosses 
with  Suffolk  bulls,  stating  in  substance  that  size  was  increased  and  form 
improved.  To  trace  the  origin  further,  it  would  be  necessary  to  go  back 
of  the  old  polled  Suffolk  breed,  and  bring  up  the  question  as  to  how  the 
various  breeds  of  hornless  cattle  were  established  in  their  peculiar  fea- 
ture. We  need  only  say  in  this  connection  that  polled  animals  were  found 
in  most  portions  of  the  British  Islands  from  time  immemorial.  Accord- 
ing to  Youatt,  there  seem  to  have  been  two  distinct  breeds  of  aboriginal 
cattle  occupying  the  central  and  northern  portions  of  the  British  Island  ; 
one  of  these  had  medium  horns,  while  the  other  had  none;  from  the  first 
were  probably  produced  the  Devon,  Hereford,  Sussex  and  West  High- 
land cattle,  while  as  a  continuation  of  the  second,  we  have  now  the  Gal- 
loways, Angus  and  Suffolk  and  Norfolk  Reds — the  latter  now  collectively 
called  Red-Polls. 

Improvement  of  the  breed  has  been  steadily  carried  forward — the 
Suffolks  dehorning,  while  the  Norfolks  were  firmly  fixing  the  blood-red 
color  mentioned  by  Marshall — and  both  breeds  came  gradually  nearer 
a  common  standard,  until,  abouv  the  middle  of  the  present  century, 
breeders  from  both  counties  began  to  meet  in  honest  competition,  and 
select  their  breeding  animals  with  reference  to  perpetuating  the  red  color 
and  the  hornless  trait.  In  1874,  Mr.  H.  F.  Euren,  of  Norwich,  succeeded 
in  establishing  the  English  Red-Polled  Herd  Book,  and  through  the  stim- 
ulus thus  applied,  these  cattle  have  since  been  making  rapid  strides  to- 
ward perfection.  In  1883,  the  American  Red-Polled  Cattle  Society 

163 


164 


RED-POLLED     CATTLE. 


RED-POLLED     CATTLE. 


l66  RED-POLLED    CATTLE. 

(J.  C.  Murray,  of  Maquoketa,  Iowa,  secretary)  was  organized,  and  two 
volumes  of  the  Herd  Book  have  already  appeared.  The  first  importation 
was  made  in  1873  by  G.  F.  Taber,  Patterson,  N.  Y. ,  since  which  time 
many  have  been  brought  in,  and  more  bred,  until  we  have  in  the  United 
States  at  present  writing  some  1,800  or  1,900  head. 

DESCRIPTION  AND  CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  a  deep  rich  red,  with  only  the  brush  of  the  tail  white,  oc- 
casionally white  on  the  udder  in  cows,  but  this,  while  not  regarded  as  an 
absolute  disqualification,  is  not  favored.  Size  above  medium,  mature 
bulls  weighing  from  1,700  to  2,100  Ibs. ,  and  cows  from  1,100  to  1,400 
Ibs.  The  head  is  neat,  with  a  tuft  of  hair  curling  over  the  narrow  frontal 
points,  and  a  light-colored,  clear-cut  muzzle.  The  neck  is  clean  and 
fine,  with  little  dewlap  ;  ribs  springing — not  broadly  arched,  but  filling 
the  demand  for  rounded  outline  of  barrel  ;  legs  clean,  fine  and  short. 
In  the  cow  the  udder  should  be  large,  but  not  meaty  ;  when  empty 
it  should  hang  in  creases  or  folds ;  milk  veins  should  be  prominent,  and 
knotted  or  puffed. 

It  must  be  confessed  that  most  of  the  modern  breeders  of  Red-Polls 
have  been  too  intent  on  securing  size  and  beauty  of  contour  to  preserve, 
as  carefully  as  they  should,  the  really  valuable  dairy  qualities  of  the 
breed.  If  a  change  be  not  made  in  this  direction,  we  shall  soon  be  com- 
pelled to  say  of  them,  as  we  might  now  say  of  the  Shorthorns,  that  they 
were  originally  excellent  dairy  stock,  but  have  been  greatly  injured  by 
the  pernicious  custom  of  feeding  high  for  the  show  ring. 

Red-Polls  are,  in  general  appearance,  hornless  Devons  (see  also 
illustrations),  and  they  are  bred  and  advertised  as  general  purpose  cattle. 
They  are  claimed,  and  we  think  fairly,  to  be  the  rivals  of  the  Shorthorns 
for  general  use  in  the  western  United  States.  As  to  their  adaptability  in 
the  fever  belt  of  the  South,  we  cannot  speak  to  a  certainty,  from  the 
fact  of  there  having  been  so  few  importations  to  this  region.  They  are 
quiet,  good  feeders,  easy  to  handle  and  ship,  and — as  all  must  admit — at- 
tractive in  color  and  form.  If  the  Red-Polls  are  carefully  bred,  we  may 
expect  to  see  them  grow  rapidly  in  public  favor,  and  secure  on  their 
merits  high  rank  as  a  combined  milk  and  beef  breed. 

In  view  of  the  present  increase  of  the  practice  of  dehorning,  we  may 
be  pardoned  for  saying,  that  among  the  bulls  of  the  established  polled 
breeds  now  in  America  the  advocates  of  surgical  dehorning  will  cer- 
tainly find  more  formidable  rivals  than  have  hitherto  appeared  in  print. 


Chapter  XXXIII. 


DEVONS. 

Lying  south  of  the  Bristol  Channel,  on  the  map  of  England,  may 
be  found  the  county  or  shire  of  Devon.  Much  of  its  physical  geography, 
as  also  that  of  the  county  adjoining  it  on  the  west,  Cornwall,  presents 
characteristics  strikingly  similar  to  that  of  Wales — indeed,  the  people  of 
these  lower  western  counties  were  as  safe  from  Roman  incursions 
behind  the  vast  forests  which  covered  the  alluvial  deposits  of  lower 
England,  as  were  the  people  of  Wales  in  their  rugged  mountain  fast- 
nesses. As  a  result  of  this  immunity  from  invasion,  the  wild  or  "White 
Forest"  breed  of  cattle  described  by  Low  increased  greatly  in  numbers, 
and,  in  the  counties  named,  became  more  or  less  subject  to  partial 
domestication. 

In  Wales,  we  have  at  present  the  North  Wales  and  Pembroke 
breeds  as  undoubted  descendants  of  these  wild  cattle  ;  and  in  the  shire 
of  Devon,  occupying  more  especially  its  northern  slope,  has  existed  for 
generations  the  ancestry  of  the  Devon  breed — familiarly  known  in  Eng- 
land as  the  "North  Devons  "  to  distinguish  them  from  the  cattle  occu- 
pying the  low  lands  of  Devon  and  the  counties  to  the  east.  That  the 
breed  is  of  remarkably  pure  descent  is  attested  by  the  wonderful  impres- 
siveness  in  marking  offspring.  Surely  no  breed  of  modern  improved 
cattle  has  a  better  claim  to  be  called  aboriginal  than  this.  As  their 
merits  became  known,  they  were  gradually  distributed  to  other  and 
more  northern  counties,  and  the  demand  thus  found  to  exist  induced  a 
more  systematic  effort  toward  improvement.  Within  the  present 
century  their  size  has  been  increased,  beef  capacity  improved,  and 
milking  qualities  especially  advanced.  The  Earl  of  Leicester  was 
among  the  most  noted  of  early  English  breeders,  followed  by  Lord 
Somerville  and  Lord  Western,  who  were  not  only  breeders  but  did 
much,  also,  to  improve  the  quality  of  the  animals  bred. 

Their  introduction  to  America  dates  from  a  very  early  period,  a 
few  head  of  what  were  undoubtedly  Devons  being  brought  over  in  the 
ship  Charity  (1623)  for  a  Mr.  Winslow,  of  Massachusetts.  In  1817,  how- 
ever, probably  the  first  authentic  importation  of  pure  bred  improved 
Devons  was  made  by  a  Mr.  Patterson,  of  Baltimore,  direct  from  the  herd 
of  the  Earl  of  Leicester  (at  that  time  Mr.  Coke,  of  Holkham).  The  next 
year  (1818)  a  few  were  imported  to  Long  Island  from  Mr.  Coke's  herd. 

167 


1 68         >V^_GALU2S>^  DEVONS. 


Other  importations  were  made  from  time  to  time,  notably  in  1836,  by 
Mr.  Vernon,  of  New  York  state,  and  in  1853  by  L.  G.  Morris,  also  of 
New  York.  Since  that  time,  the  Devons  have  been  widely  distributed 
throughout  the  United  States,  and  have  taken  a  settled  place  among  the 
popular  bieeds  of  the  country. 

DESCRIPTION     OF     MODERN     IMPROVED     DEVON. 

Color  a  rich,  deep  red  throughout,  excepting  a  central  tuft  of  long 
white  hair  in  the  brush  of  the  tail,  and  a  white  spot  on  the  udder  in 
cows,  and  about  the  purse  in  bulls.  Upper  line  almost  perfectly 
straight  from  the  head  to  the  tail ;  in  the  bull,  the  neck  is  of  course 
somewhat  arched  above  this  level.  The  head  is  neat  and  trim,  rather 
long  in  the  cow  but  short  and  masculine  in  the  bull,  and  well  pointed  to 
a  bright  flesh-colored  muzzle  ;  eyes  prominent,  bright,  wide  apart,  and 
encircled  by  rings  of  flesh-colored  skin  ;  horns  rather  long,  slender,  curv- 
ing outward,  forward  and  upward,  waxy  clear  at  base,  and  tapering  to 
almost  needle-like  points  of  darker  shade.  The  ear  is  sprightly ;  neck 
small  at  head,  without  dewlap,  and  full  and  broad  at  the  shoulders;  fore- 
quarters  wide  apart,  showing  good  lung  power,  and  slanting  well  back, 
a  feature  in  strict  keeping  with  their  well-known  activity.  The  barrel  is 
round  and  close-muscled  ;  loins  even ;  hips  square ;  rump  smooth  ;  tail 
long,  slender,  and  invariably  tipped  with  white  ;  flank  low  cut ;  brisket 
deep,  and  legs  short,  straight  and  clean  fleshed.  We  believe  the  above 
to  be  a  just  and  fair  description  of  the  breed  as  now  known  in  the 
United  States,  and  to  show  the  improvement  which  has  taken  place,  we 
quote  the  following  from  Low's  Domestic  Animals  of  Great  Britain 
(previously  quoted),  published  1842  : 

"  Although  the  Devon  ox  presents  a  symmetry  of  parts  which  pleases  the  eye,  yet 
his  form  is  not  precisely  what  the  breeder  seeks  for  in  an  animal  destined  to  fatten 
quickly  and  arrive  at  great  weight.  His  neck  is  too  long,  his  chest  too  narrow,  his  sides 
are  too  flat,  his  limbs  are  too  long  in  proportion  to  his  body  ;  or,  in  other  words,  his  body 
is  too  small  in  proportion  to  his  height.  The  Devon  ox  is  a  kindly  enough  feeder,  but  he 
requires  good  pasture,  and  a  somewhat  favorable  climate,  and  could  barely  subsist  on 
food  which  would  suffice  to  fatten  some  of  the  hardier  mountain  breeds  of  nearly  his 
own  size." 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  adopted  by  the  American  Devon  Cat- 
tle Club  (L.  P.  Sisson,  Wheeling,  W-  Va. ,  secretary)  is  now  in  general 
use  : 

COWS.  BULLS. 

8 Head 10 

Cheek 2 

4 Neck 4 

4 Shoulders    ... 6 

8 Chest 10 

8 Ribs 10 

16 Back ....  20 

48  .  .  Forward       -    .  ....  62 


DEVONS. 


i6g 


a 
m 


170  DEVONS. 

COWS.  BULLS. 

48 Forward       62 

8 Hind  quarters 12 

20 Udder 

2 Tail 2 

4 -.  Legs 4 

8 Skin      8 

2 Size 4 

8 General  appearance 8 


100  ...  .  Perfection 


CHARACTERISTICS 

Probably  the  most  prominent  trait  of  the  Devon  is  his  sprightly 
energy.  In  the  early  days  of  the  present  century,  when  the  fertile 
prairies  of  the  Great  West  held  their  virgin  soil  unbroken,  the  farmers 
of  New  England  found  abundant  exercise  in  removing  the  stones, 
stumps  and  saw  logs  with  which  their  land  was  covered.  For  this  pur- 
pose oxen  were  employed  almost  exclusively,  and  the  grades  from  those 
early  imported  Devons  were  eagerly  sought.  The  writer  has  in  mind 
an  amusing  incident  related  by  his  father  concerning  a  yoke  of  grade 
Devon  steers,  which,  for  two  good  miles,  in  response  to  the  fun-loving 
spirit  of  their  youthful  driver,  succeeded  in  keeping  behind  them  a  span 
of  fine  carriage  horses  belonging  to  a  neighbor,  and  driven  by  the 
neighbor's  son. 

As  work  oxen,  the  Devons  have  no  superior  in  the  world  ;  they  lack, 
perhaps,  the  weight  necessary  to  move  enormous  loads,  but  their  remark- 
able quickness,  combined  with  an  intelligent  observance  of  the  driver's 
will,  make  them  invaluable  for  work  of  certain  kinds.  For  beef,  little 
recommendation  is  needed  ;  the  improvement  of  the  breed  has,  with 
many  breeders,  been  almost  entirely  in  this  direction.  Allen,  in  his 
valuable  treatise  on  American  Cattle  (previously  quoted),  after  speaking 
of  the  excellent  milk  qualities  of  the  cows  in  a  herd  of  Devons  owned 
by  him,  says  : 

"  It  is  but  fair  to  say,  however,  that  after  we  commenced  crossing  our  cows  with 
bulls  of  later  importation,  some  15  years  after  the  commencement  of  the  herd,  the  large 
milkers  were  not  so  numerous,  although  the  cattle  from  these  crosses  were  somewhat 
finer.  The  bulls  we  used  were  apparently  bred  from  stocks  highly  improved  with  an 
effort  more  to  develop  their  feeding  properties  than  for  the  dairy." 

We  are  glad  to  note  that  not  all  of  our  Devon  breeders  have  fol- 
lowed these  points  so  closely  as  to  lose  sight  of  the  capabilities  of  the 
breed  for  dairy  purposes,  and,  in  this  connection,  quote  the  following 
from  the  report  of  Wm.  Brown,  Professor  of  Agriculture  in  the  Ontario 
(Canada)  Agricultural  College,  for  1886  : 

"Of  this  distinctly  intermediate  class  of  cattle  <  Devons),  milk  and  beef  combination, 
we  have  to  repeat  the  observation  that  none  can  make  better  calves,  few  so  content  and 
hardy,  and  but  one  richer  in  dairy  product.  The  Devon  has  not  held  the  world's  patron- 


DEVONS. 


171 


172  DEVONS. 

age  because  of  under  size,  and  possibly  also,  of  moderation  in  maturing  and  milk 
quantity,  but  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  of  a  more  desirable  cow  on  upland  rangy  pastures 
for  the  butter  factory." 

A  most  excellent  step  was  taken  by  the  Devon  breeders  when  the 
so-called  "  Red-Letter"  Registry  was  adopted.  The  plan  follows  that  of 
the  Holstein-Friesian  Association's  "Advanced  Registry,"  and  is  de- 
signed to  stimulate  actual  performance  of  Devon  cows  in  the  dairy  as 
well  as  higher  scaling  by  the  score  card,  certifying  beef  or  feeding  form 
improvement.  The  following  synopsis  of  requirements  for  Red-Letter 
registration  will  best  indicate  the  purpose  and  explain  the  objects  of  the 
club  in  adopting  this  feature: 

"i.   All  animals  must  be  recorded  in  American  Devon  Record. 

"2.   No  bull  is  eligible  unless  first  dam  is  in  Red-Letter  Register. 

"  3.   No  bull  under  two  years  old  is  eligible. 

"4.  A  bull,  to  be  eligible,  must  score  at  least  80  points  in  the  Devon  Scale. 

"  5.  A  cow  to  be  eligible  must  score  at  least  80  points  in  the  Devon  Scale. 

"  6.  A  cow  under  three  years  old  must  have  made  not  less  than  seven  pounds  of 
well-worked  butter  in  seven  days,  and  show  a  yield  of  at  least  one  pound  butter  fat  in  one 
day,  as  determined  by  chemical  test. 

"7.  A  cow  over  three  and  under  four  years  old  must  yield  8^  Ibs,  butter  in  seven 
days  and  T.%  Ibs.  butter  fat  in  one  day. 

"8.  A  cow  four  years  old  and  over  must  yield  10^  Ibs.  butter  in  seven  days  and 
il/2  Ibs.  butter  fat  in  one  day. 

' '  9.   Bulls  and  cows  may  be  scored  at  any  time  after  two  years  old. 
"  10.   Scorers  must  be  officially  appointed  by  the  club." 

The  Devons  are  probably  as  nearly  general  purpose  animals  as  may 
be  found  among  the  present  known  breeds,  In  size  they  are  medium, 
bulls  when  matured  weighing  from  1,200  to  1,600  Ibs.,  and  cows  from  900 
to  i,  100  Ibs.  One  thing  more  we  must  notice — their  introduction  into  the 
Southern  states.  In  Mr.  Allen's  work,  the  author  intimates  that  the 
Devon  acclimates  unusually  well  in  the  South.  We  cannot  agree  with 
him;  information  from  various  portions  of  the  South  has  shown  a  high 
proportion  of  mortality  among  Devons  brought  from  the  North,  only  one 
breed — Shorthorns — showing  a  greater  average  per  cent,  of  loss.  To 
counterbalance  this,  however,  it  is  a  well-known  fact  that  the  Devons 
when  acclimated  will  thrive  and  keep  in  good  condition  on  scant  pasture 
where  many  other  improved  breeds  would  starve  to  death.  This  high 
per  cent,  of  mortality  in  acclimating  Devons  may  be  due  to  the  unnat- 
ural forcing  which  the  breed  has  undergone  of  late  years  in  the  hands  of 
unskillful  breeders,  as  it  is  well  known  among  successful  importers  of 
Northern  cattle  that  the  introduction  of  over-fed  or  pampered  stock 
from  the  North  is  apt  to  result  fatally  to  both  profits  and  cattle. 

There  are  now  a  goodly  number  of  fine  herds  of  Devons  in  the  South, 
and  their  certain  increase,  both  in  numbers  and  favor,  is  fast  becoming 
an  accomplished  fact. 


Chapter  XXXIV. 


LONGHORNS. 

These  cattle,  so  little  known  at  present  in  the  United  States,  have 
their  origin  in  the  district  of  Craven,  England.  Probably  the  Irish 
Longhorns,  mentioned  by  Youatt,  were  identical  with  the  English 
breed,  and  for  many  years  were  bred  in  parallel  lines. 

When  Bakewell  (see  also  Leicester  sheep)  took  hold  of  the  breed, 
he  found  it  already  somewhat  improved,  but  there  can  be  no  doubt  that 
a  large  proportion  of  whatever  merit  or  popularity  the  English  Long- 
horns  once  possessed  was  due  to  his  wonderful  skill  as  a  breeder.  His 
methods  were  kept  secret,  and  his  ability  considered  extraordinary  ; 
but,  to  state  the  case  plainly,  we  have  no  doubt  that  many  of  our  mod- 
ern improvers  and  breeders  possess  just  as  much  ability,  and  are  pro- 
ducing just  as  great  results. 

Concerning  their  importation  to  America,  we  can  say  little.  A  few 
head  were  imported  into  Kentucky  as  early  as  1817,  but  they  were 
crossed  with  the  Shorthorns  and  soon  lost  sight  of.  We  know  of  but 
one  other  importation,  although  several  are  said  to  have  been  made  at 
different  times.  In  1872  or  1873,  the  writer  attended  the  Iowa  State 
Fair,  then  held  at  Cedar  Rapids,  in  Linn  county  ;  there  was  exhibited 
a  herd  of  some  four  or  five  cows  and  a  bull  of  the  genuine  English 
Longhorns  ;  they  were  marked  somewhat  similar  to  the  modern  Here- 
ford, with  white  faces  and  lined  backs  and  bellies  ;  their  sides,  however, 
were  of  a  dun  or  light  red,  almost  a  yellow,  and  on  one  or  two  individ- 
uals patches  of  brindle  and  roan  were  visible.  We  do  not  remember 
the  name  of  the  exhibitor,  nor  have  we  since  been  able  to  locate  the 
herd. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

We  describe  as  we  remember  them,  and  find  that  our  observations 
agree  with  the  description  given  by  Allen  (American  Cattle).  Size 
equal  to  Shorthorn  or  Hereford  ;  color  dun  or  yellowish  fawn,  some- 
times red,  brindled  or  roan,  with  frequently  white  faces  and  white  lines 
on'  back  and  belly.  Their  distinguishing  feature  lies  in  the  peculiar 
horns,  which  are  long,  ungraceful,  curving  forward  and  downward, 
sometimes  crossing  under  the  jaws,  and  frequently  requiring  amputa- 
tion to  prevent  a  threatened  puncture  of  the  muzzle. 

They  were  claimed  to  be  general  purpose  animals,  but  with  especial 

173 


174 


LONGHORNS. 


LONGHORNS.  175 

tendency  to  milk,  and  were  exhibited  as  would-be  rivals  of  the  Short- 
horns—at that  time  in  the  height  of  popular  favor.  Their  general  ap- 
pearance was  very  like  the  description  given  of  the  earlier  unimproved 
Herefords,  and  this,  with  the  similarity  in  their  markings,  would  lead  us 
to  suppose,  that  they  may  have  originally  sprung  from  the  same 
channel. 

Our  illustration  was  re-engraved  by  permission,  expressly  for  this 
purpose,  from  a  lithograph  made  for  the  Department  of  State,  and  was 
originally  from  a  photograpn. 


Chapter  XXXV. 


NORMANDIE    CATTLE. 

From  the  report  of  United  States  Consul  Williams,  of  Rouen,  we 
clip  the  following  : 

"The  origin  of  the  Norman  breed  seems  unknown  ;  in  fact,  has  never  been  traced. 
It  is  considered  that  the  nature  of  the  soil  has  produced  the  breed.  It  seems  to  have 
changed  very  little  in  the  last  century  and  is  very  remarkable.  The  center  of  production 
of  this  fine  breed  is  comprised  in  the  departments  of  Eure,  Manche,  Calvados  and 
Orne." 

The  above,  while  not  very  definite  information,  is  the  best  we  have 
been  able  to  obtain  regarding  the  origin  of  Normandie  cattle.  As  the 
breed  grows  in  favor,  doubtless  some  one  will  be  encouraged  to  more 
extended — and,  we  trust,  more  successful — search  for  their  early 
history. 

Improvement  has  been  slow  but  constant,  an-d  has  been  brought 
about  by  care  in  selection  and  management.  Attempts  to  improve  the 
breed  have  been  made  by  crossing  with  Shorthorn  or  Durham  blood,  re- 
sulting— as  might  be  expected — in  a  more  rounded  contour,  but  de- 
creasing at  the  same  time  the  milking  value  and  fixedness  of  type  :  in 
fact,  producing  that  most  unreliable  of  all  animals  for  breeding  pur- 
poses— a  cross.  For  beef  the  Normandie  is  undoubtedly  improved  by 
the  use  of  bulls  of  any  of  our  best  beef  breeds  ;  but  when  we  say  this, 
we  have  neither  added  to  the  claims  of  one,,  nor  detracted  from  the 
merits  of  the  other. 

Importations  to  the  United  States  have  been  few,  and  only  during 
recent  years.  The  first  of  which  we  have  any  knowledge  was  made  in 
1885,  by  Mr.  J.  C.  Duncan,  of  Normal,  111.  Regarding  this  importa- 
tion, Mr.  Levi  Dillon  writes  under  date  August  20,  1887  : 

"*  *  *  *  He  [Mr.  Duncan]  imported  from  France  two  years  ago,  one 
Normandie  bull  and  one  Normandie  cow  ;  they  are  registered,  both  recorded  in  France. 
They  are  brindle  in  color,  and  are  noted  for  their  great  milking  qualities  as  well  as  for 
their  beef  qualities.  They  are  said  to  be  the  equal  of  the  Jerseys  as  milkers,  and  the 
equal  of  the  Shorthorns  as  beef  cattle.  I  am  not  a  cattle  man,  but  our  leading  cattle 
men  here  speak  highly  of  these  cattle.  *  *  *  *  Combining,  as  they  dof 
the  good  qualities  of  the  Jersey  and  the  Shorthorn,  I  believe  they  are  the  coming 
cattle  of  this  country." 

Another  small  importation  was  made  to  New  York  city  in  1886,  and 
one  to  Chicopee,  Mass.,  in  1887.  Probably  others  have  been  made  of 
which  we  are  not  aware. 

176 


BRITTANY    CATTLE. 


153 


tion,  Jersey  cattle  are  greatly  to  be  preferred,  but  the  Brittanies,  on  scant  feed  and  rough 
mountain  lands,  will  prove  superior  to  the  Jerseys." 

DESCRIPTION     AND     CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  clear  black  and  white — almost  exactly  similar  to  that  of  the 
Holstein-Friesian — the  white  showing  a  tendency  to  appear  over  shoul- 
ders and  hips,  and  along  the  belly  line  ;  the  membrane  surrounding  the 
tongue  is  always  white — a  mark  which  may  be  called  a  distinguishing 
characteristic  of  the  breed. 

In  size  they  are  classed  as  small — about  equal  to  the  Jersey — mature 
bulls  weighing  from  1,000  to  1,300  Ibs.,  cows  from  650  to  950  Ibs.  The 
head  and  neck  are  fine,  even  delicate,  with  little  or  no  dewlap.  The 
horns  small,  always  black  at  the  tips,  and  sometimes  black  throughout, 
rather  longer  than  Jersey  horns,  and  approaching  more  nearly  those  of 
the  Devon  in  curvature  ;  the  back  is  even,  chest  large,  and  haunch  and 
buttock  bones  wide  apart.  The  legs  are  well  proportioned  to  size  of 
body,  hair  fine  and  short,  and  skin  mellow  and  of  medium  thickness. 

The  Brittany  cows  are  strictly  dairy  animals,  giving  a  good  quantity 
of  rich  milk,  and  are  claimed  to  give  a  greater  yield  on  scant  grazing 
than  cows  of  any  other  breed.  Much  allowance  must  be  made  for  ex- 
travagant claims  of  partisan  breeders,  yet  we  believe  the  Britanny  breed 
will  find,  in  our  districts  of  less  fertility,  ample  favor  with  there  best 
qualified  to  judge. 

Our  illustrations  were  re-engraved,  by  permission,  from  lithographs 
used  by  the  Department  of  State  in  the  recently  issued  volume  of  Con- 
sular Reports  on  Cattle  and  Dairy  Farming — and  were  originally  from 
photographs  taken  in  France. 


BRITTANY  COW. 


Chapter   XXX. 


KERRY    CATTLE. 

This  breed — the  only  one  of  any  prominence  native  to  Ireland — 
has  of  late  years  found  its  way  to  America,  and  is  attracting  considerable 
attention.  In  the  volume  of  Consular  Reports  on  Cattle  and  Dairy  Farm- 
ing, previously  mentioned,  Mr.  Gumbleton  refers  to  the  "  Kerry  Cattle, 
which  are  very  pretty  (small  in  size  and  black)  and  very  good  milkers." 
Mr.  Richard  Good  says  the  Kerries  "are  attracting  more  attention  than 
they  did  formerly,  owing  to  the  ease  with  which  they  are  managed  ;  "  and 
that  "they  are  particularly  suited  to  mountain  districts,  which  would 
not  properly  feed  Shorthorns."  It  may  be  here  stated  that  the  County 
of  Kerry,  whence  they  derive  the  name,  is  the  most  mountainous,  as  it  is 
the  most  western,  portion  of  the  island.  The  Kerries  form  as  nearly  an 
aboriginal  breed  as  possible,  tracing  back  to  the  wild  "Forest"  stock, 
and  showing  the  stages  of  improvement  all  through  their  history. 

Within  the  last  three  years,  several  small  importations  have  been 
made  to  the  United  States.  The  largest  of  which  we  have  any  know- 
ledge, numbering  eleven  head,  was  made  by  Mr.  Edward  Kemp,  of  the 
well-known  firm  of  Lanham  &  Kemp,  of  New  York  city,  in  1886. 

Mr.  Kemp  is  proprietor  of  the  "Locust  Farm,"  Rumson  Neck, 
New  Jersey,  where  his  Kerries,  Holstein-Friesians  and  Hambletonians 
are  now  kept. 

DESCRIPTION     AND     CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  black,  but  this  is  only  a  fashionable  point  of  the  last  10  or 
15  years,  so  that  black  and  white — "line  backs" — and  even  reds  are 
still  found.  Low,  in  1842,  described  them  as  "generally  black,  with  a 
white  ridge  along  the  spine  ;  "  he  further  says  that  a  white  streak  along 
the  belly  was  common,  and  other  colors,  such  as  brown,  red  and  spotted 
were  met  with.  Breeders  are  now  strictly  adhering  to  the  black  coats, 
and  will  in  time  eliminate  all  other  colors. 

In  size,  the  Kerry  cattle  are  small,  mature  bulls  weighing  800  to 
1,100  Ibs.,  and  cows  from  600  to  800  Ibs.  The  head  is  small,  with  long 
clean  muzzle  and  thin  lips  ;  eye  expressive  ;  horns  fine,  short  and  white 
—  "middle  horns" — usually  turning  upward;  neck  fine  at  head  and 
well  set  on  to  deep  but  narrow  shoulders  ;  body  gradually  deepens  to 
the  flank,  but  the  rump  is  narrow  and  the  thighs  light.  The  dewlap  is 
rather  scant,  and  the  brisket  small  and  close  fleshed  ;  legs  are  neat  and 

154 


KERRY     CATTLE. 


155 


156  KERRY     CATTLE. 

fine,  but  rather  long,  and  the  tail  slender  and  dropping  squarely.  The 
hair  is  rather  long  and  thick,  but  the  skin  is  mellow,  with  good  handling 
properties.  In  general  appearance  the  Kerries  are  neat,  small-sized 
dairy  animals,  showing  the  typical  milk  wedge,  and  possessing  the  quiet 
disposition  so  essential  to  dairy  excellence. 

They  are  bred  exclusively  for  milk,  and  their  partisans  claim  for 
them  an  unrivalled  production  on  scanty  hill  or  mountain  ranges.  To 
explain  their  dairy  worth  in  more  definite  manner,  we  appropriate  from 
the  weekly  edition  of  the  National  Live  Stock  Journal,  of  Chicago 
—issue  of  July  24,  1888 — the  following  clipping,  referring  to  four 
Kerry  cows,  which  were  recently  entered  at  The  Royal  Counties  Show : 

"One  of  the  four  was  reserve  number,  and  very  highly  commended,  and  another 
commended  ;  moreover,  it  will  be  seen  by  the  following  figures  that  the  'reserve'  Kerry 
gave  more  butter  in  proportion  to  quantity  of  milk  than  even  the  first  or  second  prize 
cows,  though  one  of  them  was  a  Jersey.  The  first  prize  cow,  a  Shorthorn,  gave  2  galls.  2 
pints  of  milk,  yielding  i  Ib.  3^  ozs.  butter  ;  the  second  prize,  a  Jersey,  gave  3  galls.  3^ 
pints  of  milk,  yielding  i  Ib.  4  ozs.  butter  ;  the  Kerry,  very  highly  commended  and  re- 
serve, gave  2  gallons  of  milk,  yielding  i  Ib.  il/2  ozs.  butter." 

Nothing  is  said  as  to  conditions  or  food  for  the  three  cows  men- 
tioned, but  we  may  reasonably  infer  that  these  points  were  made  as 
nearly  equal  as  possible. 

The  Kerries  are  certainly  hardy  for  more  northern  latitudes,  but  we 
can  say  nothing  as  to  their  acclimation  in  the  South.  The  "Dexter" 
strain  of  Kerry  cattle  has  been  quite  extensively  fostered,  and  we  men- 
tion briefly  the  points  of  difference  ;  it  gets  the  name  from  that  of  its 
founder,  who  is  supposed  to  have  changed  the  type  by  selection.  The 
head  is  coarser ;  horns  thicker  and  more  nearly  straight  ;  the  body 
round  and  blocky,  and  the  legs  short  and  thick. 


Chapter  XXXI. 


SHORTHORNS  OR  DURHAMS. 

The  origin  of  this  valuable  breed  has  always  been  a  subject  of  more 
or  less  dispute — ardent  admirers  of  the  Shorthorn  claiming  an  almost 
unbroken  line  of  pure  descent,  and  improvement  solely  by  careful  selec- 
tion, feeding  and  management ;  others,  perhaps  partisans  of  other 
breeds,  claiming  that  whatever  improvement  has  been  made,  and  in  fact, 
whatever  excellence  the  breed  might  possess,  has  been  brought  about  by 
judicious  but  stealthy  crosses  with  superior  individuals  of  other  breeds. 
That  there  was  a  time  when  the  Shorthorn  ancestry  were  only  native 
cattle,  even  the  most  earnest  advocates  of  their  purity  must  admit ;  but 
it  is  also  true,  that,  if  there  have  been  any  radical  out-crosses  since  the 
breed  became  definitely  known  as  such,  they  have  been  exceedingly 
stealthy  ones. 

EARLY    HISTORY. 

Their  probable  history  begins  with  the"  cattle  of  the  mainland  of 
Europe,  in  the  provinces  bordering  on  the  Baltic  and  North  Seas. 
These  cattle  possessed  many  of  the  qualities  now  claimed  by  Shorthorns, 
including  color  and  size  ;  but  there  was  a  general  disposition  toward 
excellence  in  milking  qualities  rather  than  the  full,  rounded,  symmetri- 
cal, beef  outline  of  a  majority  of  modern  Shorthorns  as  bred  for  range 
improvement  in  the  Western  states. 

Prior  to  the  conquest  of  England  by  William  of  Normandy,  the 
northern  and  eastern  portion  was  occupied  by  Danes  and  other  warlike 
races  from  the  mainland.  These  people  did  not  confine  their  operations 
to  war  and  pillage  alone,  but,  while  holding  the  eastern  coastline  of  the 
island,  established  a  considerable  trade  in  merchandise  and  agricultural 
products  to  and  from  the  mainland.  In  this  way,  it  is  claimed,  were  the 
Shorthorn  progenitors  introduced  into  England  ;  and  what  renders  the 
claim  more  probable,  is  the  fact  that  the  first  Shorthorns  were  found  in 
and  confined  to  those  counties  or  shires  lying  along  the  northern  and 
eastern  boundaries. 

IMPROVEMENT. 

As  early  as  1740,  permanent  records  were  kept  by  the  more  careful 
breeders  ;  and,  according  to  Mr.  Bates,  there  were  fine  Shorthorns  upon 
the  estate  of  the  Earl  of  Northumberland  as  early  as  the  year  1600.  Mr. 
Millbank,  of  Barningham,  and  Sir  William  St.  Quintin,  of  Scampston, 


158  SHORTHORNS    OR    DURHAMS. 

were  among  the  early  noted  breeders  previous  to  1750,  but  it  was  not 
until  the  Colling  Bros,  began  raising  them  for  profit  that  the  Shorthorns 
obtained  anything  like  general  notice  or  favor.  They  established  them- 
selves about  1780 — Chas.  Colling  at  Ketton  and  his  brother  Robert  at 
Barmpton,  both  places  near  Darlington,  on  the  river  Tees.  While 
keeping  their  herds  distinct,  they  worked  more  or  less  together,  freely 
interchanging  the  use  of  their  bulls.  The  method  pursued  by  them  was 
to  select  the  best  animals,  male  and  female,  that  could  be  found  among 
neighboring  and  even  quite  distant  breeders,  breed  them  together,  keep- 
ing up  the  best  conditions  as  to  food  and  management,  and  carefully  in- 
breeding to  fix  the  type.  (By  the  term  in-breeding,  which  we  have  fre- 
quently used,  is  meant  the  breeding  together  of  animals  more  or  less 
closely  related  ;  the  object  being  to  perpetuate  certain  characteristics, 
common  to  both  parents,  in  the  offspring.  While  very  valuable  if  care- 
fully used,  the  principle  of  in-breeding  is  dangerous  if  carried  to  ex- 
tremes, and  should  be  used  lightly  unless  by  the  most  skillful  breeders.) 
Early  in  their  history  (1786)  Chas.  Colling  purchased,  for  #42,  the 
bull  Hubback  ;  he  proved  a  most  excellent  stock-getter,  and  now  ranks 
as  one  of  the  most  celebrated  bulls  in  Shorthorn  history.  In  1810, 
Comet — the  direct  offspring  of  Bolinbroke  and  Phoenix,  and  a  lineal 
descendant  of  Hubback — was  sold  for  $5,000,  showing  to  what  extent 
these  cattle  had  advanced  both  in  merit  and  popular  favor.  After  Col- 
ling Bros.,  in  point  of  time,  came  Thos.  and  Richard  Booth  and  Thomas 
Bates.  These  men  secured  their  stock  from  Colling,  but  while  Booth 
Bros,  persisted  in  breeding  for  beef,  and  the  full,  rounded  points  so  much 
admired  for  the  butcher's  block,  Bates  was  carefully  selecting  and  breed- 
ing with  main  reference  to  milking  qualities.  Thus  it  happened  that 
Shorthorn  improvement  was  started  in  two  parallel  but  distinctly  dif- 
ferent lines.  From  these  two  main  lines  of  improvement,  the  tastes 
of  different  individuals  have  given  rise  to  numberless  "strains"  or 
"families"  all  having  the  same  general  characteristics,  but  differing  in 
color,  beef  and  milk  qualities,  or  other  particulars. 

EARLY    IMPORTATION    INTO    THE    UNITED    STATES. 

It  is  probable  that  importations  were  made  very  soon  after  the  close 
of  the  Revolutionary  War  with  England,  as  cattle  answering  the  descrip- 
tion of  Shorthorns  were  found  in  Virginia  as  early  as  1790,  and  in  1797 
some  of  these  cattle  were  taken  across  the  line  to  Kentucky  by  a  Mr. 
Patton,  soon  becoming  quite  well-known  as  the  "  Patton  Stock."  Au- 
thentic importations  were  made  direct  from  England  by  Mr.  Cox  in  1816  ; 
by  Col.  Lewis  Sanders  and  Brutus  J.  Clay,  both  of  Kentucky,  in  1817  ; 
and  from  this  time  on  importations  on  a  small  scale  were  quite  frequent. 
In  1834-5-6,  Shorthorns  were  brought  over  in  considerable  numbers  by 
a  company  made  up  for  this  purpose  among  breeders  in  the  Scioto  Val- 


SHORTHORNS      OR     DURHAMS. 


159 


l6o  SHORTHORNS    OR    DURHAMS. 

ley  in  Ohio,  and  acting  through  an  agent  who  was  supplied  with  almost 
unlimited  funds.  The  first  introduction  of  the  celebrated  Duchess  strain 
was  made  about  1840,  by  a  Mr.  Vail  of  Troy,  N.  Y. ,  who  secured  a  bull 
and  a  heifer  direct  from  the  herd  of  Thomas  Bates.  Among  the  earlier 
noted  breeders  in  America,  we  may  mention  Samuel  Thorne,  of  Thome- 
dale,  N.  Y.,  and  R.  J.  Alexander,  of  Kentucky — the  latter  a  Scotch  noble- 
man, who  purchased  the  Woodburn  estate  of  3,000  acres,  and  used  his 
annual  income  of  $80,000  to  establish  and  maintain  a  model  American 
herd  of  Shorthorns. 

DESCRIPTION    AND     CHARACTERISTICS. 

Widely  varying  in  color,  we  find  almost  all  markings  except  black, 
brown  and  brindled;  in  some  families  pure,  deep  cherry  red,  in  others 
snowy  white,  and  between  these  two  extremes  are  red  and  white  in  all 
grades  as  to  size  and  arrangement  of  spots — red  roan,  white  roan,  roan 
and  white,  and  speckled  or  "turkey"  roan.  In  size  the  Shorthorn  ranks 
among  the  largest  of  known  breeds,  bulls  of  mature  age  ranging  from 
1,900  to  2,30olbs.?  and  cows  from  1,200  to  1,600  Ibs.,  with  occasional 
individuals  considerably  exceeding  these  figures.  The  general  form  is 
square  with  well-filled  points,  straight  back,  keeping  the  line  even  and 
well  up  at  the  rump;  quarters  deep  and  full,  but  not  bulging;  ribs  well 
sprung,  giving  a  wide  back  and  rounded  barrel ;  muzzle  clear  orange  yel- 
low (in  some  families,  light  drab);  wide  open  nostrils,  and  rather  thin- 
fleshed  lips  ;  eyes  clear,  bright  and  surrounded  by  rings  of  orange  col- 
ored flesh  ;  horns  clear  or  cream-flecked,  short  and  usually  curving  in- 
ward; ears  thin  and  delicate,  showing  clear  orange  wax;  neck  short  and 
fine  in  the  cow — in  the  bull  heavy,  and  rising  with  age;  back  level;  loin 
full;  buttocks  wide  apart;  tail  small  just  above  the  brush;  brisket  wide 
and  full;  and  legs  close,  fine  boned  and  well-proportioned  to  size  of 
body. 

The  Shorthorns  are  emphatically  general  purpose  animals,  although 
perhaps,  the  majority  of  breeders  persist  in  classing  them  with  the  purely 
beef  breeds.  When  selected  and  bred  for  milk,  they  are  exceedingly 
valuable  as  dairy  stock,  but  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  general  tend- 
ency to  breed  and  feed  for  show  has  greatly  increased  their  beef  capacity 
at  the  expense  of  milking  qualities.  In  some  of  the  strains  or  families 
— as  notably  the  Princess  and  Duchess  strains — the  dairy  features  have 
been  carefully  preserved,  and  even  among  the  most  pronounced  beef 
families,  an  occasional  excellent  dairy  cow  will  be  found. 

The  American  Shcrthorn  Breeders'  Association  (J.  H.  Pickrell,  of 
Chicago,  secretary)  has  never  adopted  any  standard  Scale  of  Points  for 
the  animal.  Their  adaptability  seems  not  so  great  as  that  of  some  other 
breeds;  they  find  their  most  congenial  home  and  give  best  returns  for 
investment  in  latitudes  of  the  more  central  and  northern  United  States. 


NORMANDIE     CATTLE. 


177 


12 


78 


NORMAND1E     CATTLE. 


NORMANDIE     CATTLE.  179 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  brown,  roan  and  red  or  spotted — varying  considerably  as  to 
marking,  but  never  failing  to  preserve  the  brown  stripes  peculiar  to  the 
breed,  which  have  earned  for  them  the  term  "brindled."  The  head  is 
long  and  coarse,  with  large  mouth — fit  emblem  of  an  enormous  appetite. 
The  horn  is  irregular,  commonly  twisted  and  curved  toward  the  fore- 
head ;  the  body  long  and  deep  at  the  flank,  with  rather  narrow  hind 
parts,  showing  an  escutcheon  well  marked  for  milk.  The  legs  are  short 
and  the  skin  rather  thick  and  heavy. 

The  Normandie  cow  is  classed  as  a  combined  milk  and  beef 
animal,  with  tendency  more  towards  milking  excellence,  especially  in 
the  Cotentine  strain  of  Normandies.  In  size  they  rank  with  the  large 
breeds,  mature  bulls  weighing  from  1,800  to  2,200  Ibs. ,  cows  from  1,100 
to  1,500  Ibs.  The  illustrations  were  re-engraved  by  permission  from 
lithographs  made  for  the  Department  of  State,  and  were  originally  from 
photographs  taken  in  France. 


Chapter  XXXVI. 


NORTH    WALES   BLACK   CATTLE. 

{Anglesea. ) 

As  a  separate  and  distinct  breed,  this  race  of  cattle  has  re- 
ceived attention  only  of  late  years.  Descended  from  the  same 
original  stock  (the  wild  Forest  breed  of  Wales  and  West  England) 
as  are  the  Pembrokes  or  Castle  Martins  of  South  Wales,  and  par- 
taking largely  of  the  same  general  appearance,  they  yet  show  de- 
cidedly different  characteristics,  which,  by  right,  stamp  them  as  a 
separate  breed. 

Of  the  gentlemen  in  Wales  who  have  been  so  actively  advanc- 
ing the  interests  of  Anglesea  cattle,  we  can  make  only  brief  men- 
tion ;  they  well  deserve  more  extended  notice.  Col.  Henry  Platt, 
of  Gorddinogg,  Bangor ;  Lord  Harlech,  of  Glyn  Hall,  Talsarnau; 
R.  B.  Smith,  Esq.,  of  Tynewydd,  Bangor,  and  the  editor  and 
honorary  secretary  (now  deceased)  of  the  association,  Wm.  A.  Dew, 
have  been  among  the  most  active  workers. 

Only  one  importation  of  which  we  are  aware  has  been  made  to 
America.  In  1885,  Mr.  J.  B.  Warren,  of  Larchwood,  la.,  imported  13 
head  for  the  Larchwood  estate.  Answering  our  inquiries,  under  date 
Sept.  12,  1887,  this  gentleman  says: 

"We  have  had  our  herd  for  the  last  18  months,  and  are  prepared  to  say  that  they 
are  a  very  large  breed,  quite  as  large  as  the  Shorthorns,  and  much  hardier.  They  are 
excellent  milkers,  are  very  docile  and  thrifty.  Last  year  most  of  our  cows  ran  out  until 
the  middle  of  January,  and  were  at  that  time  in  much  better  condition  than  the  natives." 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  black,  with  occasionally  white  about  the  udder  in  cows  and 
scrotum  in  bulls ;  all  other  spots  of  white,  while  not  necessarily  a  mark 
of  impurity,  are  discouraged,  and  will  soon  no  doubt  be  known  only  as 
an  occasional  reversion.  The  hair  is  long,  fine  and  wavy;  head  rather 
large;  neck  medium;  quarters  full,  and  general  outline  approaching  very 
nearly  that  of  the  Devons.  In  size  they  are  classed  with  the  larger 
breeds,  mature  bulls  weighing  from  1,800  to  2,200  Ibs.,  and  cows  from 
i,  100  to  1,500  Ibs.  The  Earl  of  Cawdor,  whose  answer  is  published  in  a 
report  to  the  Department  of  State,  goes  still  higher,  and  places  the  "live 
weight  of  the  bulls  24  cwt. ;  oxen,  22  cwt. ;  cows,  18  cwt. "  The  horns 

1 80 


NORTH     WALES     BLACK     CA'ITLE. 


181 


flr 


II 


2     O 

H 

*s 

3-     • 


i8a 


NORTH     WALES     BLACK     CATTLE. 


K 

O  >. 

I-  - 

O  ^ 

> 


0      _ 

3 

to 


M 


H 


O    (/) 


NORTH     WALES     BLACK     CATTLE.  183 

of  the  North  Wales  cattle  are  middle  sized,  long  and  yellowish,  with 
darker  tips ;  the  legs  are  short,  and  waste  portions  of  the  body  gene- 
rally are  reduced  to  a  low  percentage.  Their  dairy  qualities  on  an  aver- 
age are  counted  good — an  ordinary  herd  yielding  annually  from  125  to 
150  pounds  of  butter  to  the  cow,  and  occasional  herds  are  found  which 
considerably  exceed  these  figures. 

The  partisans  of  the  breed  claim  for  them  a  rank  equal  to  the 
highest  as  a  combined  milk  and  beef  breed  ;  we  are  wil.'ing  to  file  the 
claim,  and  shall  give  them  ample  time  to  prove  it.  The  establishment 
of  the  North  Wales  Black  Cattle  Herd  Book — the  first  volume  of  which 
appeared  in  1883,  and  the  second  volume  in  1886 — will  doubtless  do 
much  toward  improving  and  keeping  pure  this  really  valuable  breed  of 
stock. 


Chapter  XXXVII. 


PEMBROKE   CATTLE. 

("Castle  Martins,'"  or  Black   Cattle  of  South    Wales.*} 

Although  we  know  of  no  Pembrokes  in  the  United  Statas,  we  insert 
the  chapter  on  account  of  the  close  relationship  between  this  breed  and 
the  Black  Cattle  of  North  Wales.  Until  within  a  score  of  years,  the 
Pembroke  breed  has  included  all  of  the  black  mountain  cattle  of  Wales. 
From  the  report  of  the  Hon.  Stephen  B.  Packard,  United  States  Con- 
sul at  Liverpool,  we  quote  : 

' '  There  are  two  breeds  of  cattle  in  Wales.  The  North  Wales  breed  [see  North 
Wales  Black  Cattle]  is  found  in  greatest  perfection  in  Anglesea  and  Caernarvonshire. 
The  South  Wales  breed  was  called  "Castle  Martin,  "and  the  animals  are  very  big, 
large  boned  and  coarse,  but  they  are  not  in  favor  in  the  north  of  the  Principality.  * 
*  *  *  Both  breeds  are  black,  producing  occasionally  specimens  dun  colored 
and  red.  Characteristic  points  require  that  bulls  should  have  white  testicles  and  the 
cows  white  udders." 

They  are  supposed  to  be  directly  descended  from  the  Bos  primo- 
genius,  and  are  hence  allied  to  the  wild  "Forest"  breed — still  preserved 
in  Chillingham  Park,  the  Devons,  and  still  more  closely  to  their  new 
rivals,  the  Black  Cattle  of  North  Wales. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  black,  with  the  white  marks  already  mentioned.  As  com- 
pared with  the  North  Wales  breed,  they  have  shorter  hair,  lighter  hind 
parts,  narrower  shoulders,  and  coarser  bones.  The  best  specimens  of 
each  breed  would  bear  close  inspection  to  decide  between  them  on  merit 
alone ;  but  it  is  now  admitted  that  a  much  larger  number  of  the  North 
Wales  cattle  answer  the  requirements  of  an  improved  modern  breed. 

The  particular  characteristics  claimed  for  the  Pembrokes  are 
hardiness,  dairy  qualities  and  aptitude  to  range  well.  They  cannot  be 
said  to  bear  forced  feeding,  but  for  rough  grazing  they  would  doubtless 
find  much  favor  upon  our  western  ranges.  As  to  their  dairy  qualities,  we 
confess  to  some  degree  of  skepticism;  it  does  not  seem  reasonable  that 
a  breed  reared  under  the  rough  "no  care"  conditions — which  their 
breeders  are  careful  to  claim — can  have  any  very  great  tendency  to  large 
yields  of  milk.  Their  flesh  is  said  to  be  as  good  as  any,  and  the  oxen  are 
docile,  easily  trained,  and  make  strong,  active  teams. 

The  first  volume  of  the  Herd  Book  appeared  in  1874,  and  since 
that  time  improvement  of  the  breed  has  taken  a  more  decided  and 

systematic  turn. 

184 


Chapter   XXXVIII. 


HEREFORDS. 

There  is  much  to  be  said  of  the  Hereford  cattle,  as  they  existed  in 
Herefordshire,  and  adjoining  counties,  England  ;  and  also  of  the  cattle 
of  Wales.  Previous  to  the  time  of  Tomkins,  the  cattle  of  these  dis- 
tricts had  a  reputation  for  the  best  of  quality,  and  were  of  uniform 
character — varying  in  size  according  to  elevation  and  fertility  of  the 
range.  It  was  from  cattle  of  this  uniform  character  that  the  Hereford 
breed  had  its  origin. 

The  more  reliable  records  place  Mr.  Benj.  Tomkins  as  the  improver, 
if  not  the  founder,  of  the  breed.  Mr.  Tomkins  was  born  in  1745,  at  the 
Court  House,  Canon  Pyon,  and  began  farming  at  Black  Hall,  King's 
Pyon,  1766 — then  in  his  2ist  year.  He  afterward  lived  at  Wellington, 
and  then  at  Brookhaven,  King's  Pyon,  where  he  died  in  1815.  His 
herd  was  sold  in  1819,  and  brought  (for  breeding  stock)  as  follows: 

15    cows $11,245  oo — an  average  of $75°  °o 

2    two-year-old   heifers  .    .       1,415  oo               "                 460  oo 

2  one-year-old         "        .    .          780  oo               "                 390  oo 

4  bulls 5,355  oo               "                 1,335  °° 

2  bull    calves 1,81000               "                 905  oo 


Total,  26  animals $20,605  oo  "  $792  °° 

Mr.  Tomkins  came  from  a  line  of  ancestors  who  were  prominent 
men  of  the  county  of  Hereford  as  cattle  breeders,  and  many  of  them 
were  prominent  men  of  the  nation.  He  pursued  a  steadily  systematic 
course  in  his  breeding,  and  stands,  undoubtedly,  as  regards  the  his- 
tory of  the  improvement  of  Hereford  cattle  in  the  west  of  England, 
as  do  the  Colling  Bros,  in  improvement  of  Shorthorn  or  Durham  cat- 
tle in  the  east.  Other  noted  breeders  may  be  mentioned,  among  them 
such  men  as  Yarmouth,  Walker,  Hoskyns,  Penn,  Jellicoe,  Smith,  Lord 
Talbot,  Price,  Sherif  and  others  ;  but  the  blood  of  Tomkins'  cattle  was 
always  found  strongly  diffused  throughout  their  herds — as  may  be  seen 
by  consulting  the  Herd  Book  records. 

To  show  the  recognized  value  of  the  Hereford  breed  for  beef  at 
that  early  day,  we  give  the  following  prices  of  cattle  sold  by  Mr.  West- 
car,  and  obtained  from  his  books  by  Mr.  Smythies,  of  Marlow.  The  fig- 
ures represent  20  Hereford  oxen,  selected  from  the  entire  record  as  each 

185 


1779. 

Dec. 

16  

,  2  oxen  .  .    .... 

i8oo, 

Dec. 

4  . 

i   "   

1800, 

Dec. 

13  ....'. 

i   "   

1801, 

Nov 

26   ... 

1802, 

Nov 

26   

.  .     .  i   "   .  .        ... 

1802 

Nov 

,  .    .  .   i   "      ....       .  . 

1802, 

Dec. 

4 

.  .2   "      

1803, 

Dec. 

4 

I   "    ...       ...         .  . 

1803, 

Dec. 

19    .       .  . 

.  .  .     .1   "    .  .     .  . 

1803, 

Dec. 

2Q  

I   "      .  . 

1804, 

Dec. 

15  . 

I   "    

Dec 

I   "             ... 

1811, 

Nov. 

28  . 

.1   " 

l86  HEREFORDS. 

bringing  a  figure  upwards  of  ^100.      Sales  of  20  oxen  from  1799  to  1811 
—  the  average  price  of  which  was  ;£io6,   6s.,  or  $530  each  : 


IOO 

630 

IOO 

126 

200 
IOO 

105 

i°5 

105 

IOO 

105 

The  Smithfield  Club  at  London,  England,  held  its  first  cattle  show 
in  1799.  The  winner  of  the  first  prize  was  a  Hereford  ox,  shown  by 
Mr.  Westcar,  bred  by  Mr.  Tully,  Huntingdon  Court,  Hereford,  and  for 
the  first  20  years  of  this  show  Herefords  won  the  first  or  champion  prize 
for  the  best  ox  or  steer  exhibited.  During  the  years  from  about  1820  to 
1834,  there  was  a  very  warm  contest  carried  on  between  the  respective 
breeders  of  Herefords  and  Shorthorns  as  to  the  merits  of  the  two  breeds 
—  a  condition  of  things  which  has  been  kept  up  with  more  or  less 
warmth  ever  since.  (We  cannot  see  why  there  should  be  such  violent 
temper  displayed  by  the  respective  champions  of  these  two  popular 
breeds.  Each  has  a  certain  definite  place  in  our  midst,  and  it  is  no 
secret  that  any  successful  breeder  is  quite  likely  to  regard  his  own 
success  as  a  reflection  of  superior  merit  in  the  breed  he  handles. 
"Live  and  let  live"  is  a  pretty  good  motto,  which  both  breeders  of 
Herefords  and  Shorthorns  would  do  well  to  heed.) 

Mr.  Geo.  T.  Turner,  writing  to  the  National  Live  Stock  Journal  of 
Chicago  in  1880,  says  : 

"The  Hereford  bullock  in  London  is  quite  a  season  animal,  and  comes  only  as  a 
grass  beast  in  the  late  summer  and  autumn,  when  it  tops  the  market." 

And  we   might  add,    the  Hereford  steer  has  held  his   own  in   this  re- 
spect for  more  than  100  years. 

The  Hereford  Herd  Book  was  first  published  in  1846  by  Mr.  T.  C. 
Eyton  —  the  second  volume  appearing  in  1853.  At  this  time,  the  mark- 
ings of  the  breed  were  not  as  uniform  as  now,  and  Mr.  Eyton  classed 
them  according  to  color  as  Mottle  Faced,  White  Faced,  Gray  and  Light 
Gray.  In  his  preface  to  the  second  volume,  Mr.  Eyton  says  that  many 
breeders  neglected  to  forward  any  account  of  their  stock  or  pedigrees 
of  their  bulls,  and  that  it  is  not  his  intention  "to  continue  the  work  un- 
less the  breeders  generally  come  forward  to  assist  me  more  than  they 
have  done  to  the  present  time.  I  would  willingly  give  my  own  time  and 


HKRKFORDS. 


i87 


l88  HEREFORDS. 

trouble  if  I  thought  all  would  join  in  working  out  the  truth,  and  afford 
the  work  sufficient  patronage  to  cover  its  expenses."  While  some  few 
of  the  breeders  were  willing  to  aid  in  the  support  of  the  work,  the  inter- 
est was  not  general  enough  to  induce  Mr.  Eyton  to  continue  his  labors. 
In  1856,  Mr.  W.  Styles  Powell  purchased  the  copyright,  and  published 
the  first  part  of  volume  III.,  containing  236  pedigrees.  July  i5th,  1857, 
a  letter  to  the  Herefordshire  Agricultural  Society  was  read,  from  Mr. 
Underwood,  solicitor  to  Rev.  W.  Powell — uncle  to  W.  S.  Powell — stating 
that  the  cost  of  the  Herd  Book  to  his  late  nephew  was  ^30  ;  yet  he  was 
willing  to  place  the  work  as  it  then  stood  in  the  hands  of  any  gentleman 
recommended  by  the  society  on  payment  of  jQio.  Mr.  Powell's  offer 
was  accepted,  and  Mr.  Thos.  Duckham  was  requested  to  carry  on  the 
publication  of  the  Herd  Book.  The  conditions  were  that  he  should  pub- 
lish it  annually,  and  that  an  entrance  fee  of  one  shilling  (25  cts.)  should  be 
paid  for  each  head  of  stock  entered.  Mr.  Duckham  proceeded  to  revise 
and  reprint  the  first  portion  of  Volume  III.,  adding  a  second  part  for 
bulls  and  a  third  part  for  cows,  with  their  produce  ;  and  in  September, 
1858,  the  revised  volume  was  issued.  In  1859  Volume  IV.  appeared, 
with  a  list  of  247  subscribers  ;  and  Volume  V.  followed  in  1862,  with  a 
list  of  317.  Mr.  Duckham  continued  the  work  on  his  own  responsibil- 
ity until  Volume  IX.  was  issued,  when — March  5,  1878 — the  Here- 
ford Herd  Book  Society  was  formed,  and  the  Society  purchased  the 
copyright,  becoming  responsible  for  its  publication  through  an  editing 
committee,  of  which  Mr.  Duckham  was  an  active  and  influential  mem- 
ber until  his  resignation,  which  occurred  about  six  years  ago.  Vol- 
ume XVII.  of  the  Herd  Book  was  issued  in  1887. 

While  Mr.  Duckham  was  editor  and  publisher,  he  gave  a  large  por- 
tion of  his  time  to  the  advancement  of  Hereford  interests,  and  the 
breeders  of  England  and  America  owe  much  to  him  for  the  records  and 
data  that  have  been  preserved  to  the  breed. 

In  Scotland,  Ireland,  Australia,  South  America  and  the  island  of 
Jamaica,  Hereford  cattle  are  now  well-known,  and  rank  second  to  none 
in  public  favor  for  early  and  economic  production  of  beef. 

IMPORTATION    TO,    AND    BREEDING    IN,    THE    UNITED    STATES. 

The  Hon.  Henry  Clay  brought  two  bulls  and  two  heifers  to  this 
country  in  1817;  one  bull  and  the  two  heifers  reached  Kentucky,  and  con- 
tributed to  the  improvement  of  beef  cattle  in  that  state.  In  1824  Admi- 
ral Coffin  brought  to  Massachusetts  the  Hereford  bull  Sir  Isaac.  The 
bull  was  owned  for  several  years  by  Isaac  C.  Bates,  of  Northampton, 
Mass.,  and  was  used  on  the  cows  in  that  vicinity  with  the  uniform  testi- 
mony that  for  all  purposes  combined,  his  produce  formed  the  best  stock 
ever  kept  in  that  neighborhood.  In  1839-40  a  large  number  of  Here- 
ford cattle  were  imported  by  Mr.  William  Sotham,  of  Albany,  N.  Y. 


IIERF.FORDS. 


189 


IQO  HEREFORDS. 

They  met  with  a  good  deal  of  favor,  and  were  soon  well  distributed 
throughout  the  northeast  portion  of  the  United  States.  In  1851  Messrs. 
John  Humphries  and  Thos.  Ashton  brought  to  Ohio  two  bulls  and  two 
heifers  ;  and  since  1879  there  have  been  many  importations,  and  some 
very  large  ones.  They  have  gone  into  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  have 
uniformly  become  very  popular  with  all  who  have  handled  them. 

C.  R.  Thomas,  of  Independence,  Mo.,  is  the  present  secretary  of 
the  American  Hereford  Breeders'  Association. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

In  color  the  Hereford  is  a  red  of  varying  shade,  generally  dark,  with 
clear  white  face,  white  line — extending  from  head  to  tail  in  some  speci- 
mens, in  others  abreviated  to  merely  a  white  mane,  or  what  is  even 
more  fashionable  at  present,  an  oblong  spot  above  and  between  the 
shoulders — white  belly,  white  brush  and  white  feet.  The  horns  are 
medium  to  long,  white,  waxy  and  generally  turning  outward,  forward 
and  sometimes  downward.  In  form  they  are  blocky,  square  built,  with 
rather  short  legs  and  all  meat  points  full  and  rounded  ;  the  tail  drops 
squarely  from  rumps  even  and  high  ;  the  quarters  are  heavy,  muscular 
and  low  down  on  the  hocks  ;  the  ribs  well  sprung,  but  rounded  neatly  to 
a  long,  deep  barrel ;  the  head  and  neck  both  short  and  close  fleshed  ; 
in  fact  the  whole  make-up  of  the  animal  indicates  strongly  the  marked 
characteristic  of  the  breed — beef. 

The  Hereford  is  emphatically  a  beef  or  range  animal,  and  while 
good  milkers  are  occasionally  met  with  among  the  cows,  most  of  them 
do  little  more  than  raise  wonderfully  vigorous  calves.  The  "white 
faces"  have  found  considerable  favor  on  the  great  cattle  ranges  of  the 
Panhandle  of  Texas.  In  acclimating,  they  are  well  located  as  standing 
even  with  the  Aberdeen-Angus — about  third  on  the  list — Holstein- 
Friesians  and  Galloways  ranking  first  and  second  respectively.  They 
are  hardy,  prepotent  to  a  strong  degree,  and  are  classed  with  the  largest 
of  modern  breeds,  mature  bulls  weighing  from  1,900  to  2,300  Ibs. ,  and 
cows  from  1,200  to  1,600  Ibs.,  with  occasional  animals  exceeding  these 
weights. 

Probably  no  other  man  in  America  has  done  so  much  to  advance 
the  interests  of  Hereford  cattle  as  T.  L.  Miller.  His  latest  great  under- 
taking, to  push  the  white  faces  on  irrigated  lands  in  Arizona,  for  ship- 
ment by  train  loads  to  the  large  markets  of  the  country,  is  an  enter- 
prise which,  if  successful,  will  rank  as  almost  phenomenal ;  and  that  it 
will  be  successful  is  almost  assured  by  the  simple  fact  that  Mr.  Miller 
has  undertaken  it. 


Chapter  XXXIX. 


GALLOWAYS. 

These  cattle  derive  their  name  from  the  province  of  Galloway, 
lying  in  the  southwest  portion  of  Scotland,  to  which  locality  they  trace  a 
long  line  of  polled  ancestry.  The  breed  is  among  the  oldest,  authentic 
history  carrying  it  back  to  the  beginning  of  the  Sixteenth  Century,  and 
tradition  asserting  that  there  was  never  a  time  when  Galloway  cattle 
did  not  exist  in  their  native  province  ;  moreover,  the  main  distinguish- 
ing points  of  the  breed  were  the  same  then  as  now,  subject  only  to 
progressive  change  from  careful  selection  and  management. 

Improvement  in  the  Galloway  breed  was  largely  stimulated  by  the 
extensive  purchases  of  Scotch  polled  cattle  by  the  English  soon  after  the 
union  of  England  and  Scotland.  The  Scotch  breeders,  knowing  that  the 
cattle  sold  were  to  travel  on  foot  throughout  the  greater  part  of  Eng- 
land, vied  with  each  other  in  attempting  to  furnish  the  best  animals.  It 
is  worthy  of  note  that  the  improvement  of  the  Galloway  has  been  ef- 
fected almost  entirely  by  skillful  selection,  judicious  feeding  and  careful 
management — a  fact  which  accounts,  in  fixedness  of  breeding,  for  their 
present  remarkable  prepotency. 

Although  an  old  breed,  the  records  date  only  from  recent  time— 
all  pedigrees  and  papers  relating  to  the  breed  having  been  destroyed  by 
fire  at  Edinburgh  in  1851.  From  1851  to  1878,  they  were  recorded  with 
the  Angus  and  other  polled  stock  in  the  Polled  Herd  Book  ;  in  1878 
Galloway  breeders  published  separately  the  first  volume  of  the  Galloway 
Herd  Book  of  Great  Britain,  and  in  1883  appeared  the  first  volume  of 
the  North  American  Galloway  Herd  Book — the  register  now  used  for 
American-bred  Galloways. 

While  black  has  always  been  the  prevailing  color,  there  were  for- 
merly many  well  bred  individuals  of  other  colors,  and  one  of  the  most 
apparent  improvements  made  by  later  breeders  has  been  to  eliminate 
variety  in  color  and  reduce  the  breed  to  its  present  standard,  namely, 
black — in  winter  with  a  brownish  tinge.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind, 
however,  that  this  peculiarity  still  shows  itself  in  an  occasional  rever- 
sion to  dun  or  drab  ;  and  such  animals,  while  inferior  in  selling  value, 
are  nevertheless  as  purely  bred  as  the  most  sable  of  their  kind.  We  had 
on  the  College  Farm,  a  heifer — now  dead — dropped  in  1886,  got  by 
Admiral  Good,  1184,  Am.  G.  H.  B.,  out  of  Admiration,  1186,  Am.  G.  H. 

191 


IQ2  GALLOWAYS. 

B.,  both  black — which  was  a  pure  dun  in  color,  but  a  typical  Galloway 
in  all  other  respects. 

DESCRIPTION    OF    THE    GALLOWAY. 

No  horns  are  admissible,  not  even  scurs  ;  they  are  emphatically 
a  polled  or  hornless  breed.  The  color  should  be  black — in  winter 
showing  a  brownish  tinge,  from  the  fact  that  the  long  hairs  turn  brown 
at  the  extremities.  The  skin  should  be  of  medium  thickness,  but  soft 
and  pliable,  and  the  hair  long,  soft  and  wavy,  giving  a  silken,  shaggy 
appearance — with  a  soft  thick  coat  of  wool  underneath.  Coarse, 
straight,  or  closely  curled  hair  is  objectionable,  especially  when  the 
mossy  undercoat  is  wanting.  The  head  should  be  short  and  wide  be- 
tween eyes,  with  full  forehead  and  open  nostrils  ;  eyes  large  and  prom- 
inent ;  ears  medium  sized — rather  broad  in  proportion  to  length — 
pointing  upward,  fringed  with  long  hair,  and  well  provided,  both  inside 
and  out,  with  a  soft  woolly  covering ;  neck  short,  tapering  finely  in  the 
cow,  and  becoming  wonderfully  enlarged  with  age  in  the  bull  ;  quarters 
long,  deep  and  fleshed  well  onto  the  leg  ;  breast  wide,  brisket  heavy, 
loin  well  filled  and  flank  low.  The  body  is  round  and  long,  back 
straight,  tail  thick,  with  a  heavy  brush,  and  legs  short  and  very  mus- 
cular. The  Galloway,  in  brief,  is  a  heavy  bodied,  short  legged,  hornless, 
black,  beefy  looking  animal.  No  scale  of  points  has  yet  been  adopted 
for  the  breed. 

CHARACTERISTICS. 

The  Galloways  are  mainly  a  beef-producing  cattle — their  flesh 
finely  marbled,  sweet  and  juicy  ;  in  proportion  of  live  weight,  they 
dress  remarkably  well,  averaging  nearly  60  per  cent.,  and  frequently 
reaching  as  high  as  65  or  66  per  cent,  of  live  weight.  As  range  stock 
they  have  proved  exceedingly  valuable,  being  hardy,  easily  handled, 
close  shippers,  and  amply  able  to  find  their  own  food  on  any  reasonable 
range. 

The  practice  of  dehorning,  which  we  have  mentioned,  although  ad- 
vocated by  breeders  of  horned  cattle,  must  surely  work  to  the  advantage 
of  all  of  the  polled  breeds,  inasmuch  as  the  average  man  will  consider 
it  much  safer,  more  economical  and  much  less  cruel  to  remove  the 
horns  by  using  a  naturally  hornless  bull.  One  of  the  prominent  traits  of 
Galloway  cattle  is  their  prepotency  when  crossed  with  other  breeds — 
fully  80  per  cent,  of  resulting  offspring  being  without  horns.  As  to 
maturity,  there  is  considerable  difference  of  opinion,  due,  we  believe,  to 
the  fact  that  Galloways  vary  greatly  in  ages  at  which  individual  animals 
reach  maturity  ;  as  a  rule  we  cannot  say  that  they  are  early  maturers — 
although  perhaps  comparing  favorably  with  most  of  their  rivals  in  this 


GALLOWAYS. 


194  GALLOWAYS. 

respect ;  neither  do  they  as  a  rule  attain  so  great  weight  as  several  of 
the  other  beef  breeds — bulls  weighing  from  1,700  to  2,100  Ibs.,  and 
cows  from  1,000  to  1,400  Ibs.,  with  occasional  animals  exceeding  these 
figures.  We  believe  there  is  truth  in  the  following  statement  :  Let  a 
Galloway  steer  alone,  and  he  will  do  what  he  can  with  credit  to  himself 
and  profit  to  his  owner  ;  but  attempt  to  crowd  him  for  extra  results,  and 
beyond  a  certain  point  the  forcing  process  will  not  prove  a  financial 
success.  N 

In  the  dairy  little  is  claimed  for  the  Galloway  cows,  by  even  their 
most  ardent  admirers.  It  is  only  fair  to  state,  however,  that  among 
them  are  found  some  very  excellent  milkers.  The  practice  of  allowing 
the  calf  to  run  with  the  cow  and  making  the  herd  find  both  food  and 
shelter  on  its  own  account,  while  it  may  have,  and  doubtless  has,  in- 
creased the  hardiness  to  a  considerable  extent,  has  certainly  worked 
great  injury  to  whatever  milking  superiority  the  breed  may  have  origi- 
nally possessed. 

Another  and  economically  important  outlook  for  Galloway  breeders 
is  indicated  in  a  letter  to  the  author  written  under  date  December  3, 
1892,  by  L.  P.  Muir,  secretary  of  the  association,  Independence,  Mo. 
He  says  : 

*  *  The  Galloways  are  proving  one  of  the  best  of  breeds  for  hardiness, 
thriftiness  and  general  usefulness.  Robes,  coats,  cloaks,  gloves  and  various  articles  of 
use  and  wear  are  made  from  first-class  hides.  * 

We  understand  that  there  are  already  a  number  of  breeders  who 
are  handling  grade  Galloways  primarily  for  their  hides,  as  indicated  by 
Col.  Muir.  In  the  South,  Galloways  stand  second  on  the  list  as  to  ease 
of  acclimation  ;  and  this  fact  will  doubtless  tend  to  gradually  increase 
the  number  of  pure  bred  Galloway  bulls  annually  shipped  to  Texas 
ranges  for  improvement  of  native  stock. 


GALLOWAYS. 


Chapter   XL. 
ABERDEEN-ANGUS. 

{Polled  Angus  or  Polled  Aberdeen. .) 

As  to  the  origin  of  this  now  well-known  breed,  little  is  definite  be- 
yond the  commonly  accepted  belief  that  the  two  polled  Scotch  breeds — 
Galloway  and  Aberdeen-Angus — are  descended  from  the  polled  variety 
of  the  original  Forest  breed.  Of  the  long  controversy,  between  Gal- 
loway and  Angus  breeders  regarding  the  merits  of  their  respective 
breeds  we  have  nothing  to  say;  by  many  the  two  breeds  are  considered 
identical.  Some  of  our  best  judges  predict  that  at  no  distant  day  the 
Aberdeen-Angus  and  Galloway  Associations  will  follow  the  example 
so  lately  set  by  the  Holstein  and  the  Dutch  Friesian  breeders,  by  com- 
bining forces  to  advance  the  interests  of  all  concerned. 

We  cannot  say  that  we  agree  with  such  expression.  While  both 
breeds  have  undoubtedly  descended  from  the  same  original  stock,  yet 
selection,  feeding,  care  and  systematic  breeding  have  changed  the 
characteristics  and  appearance  so  greatly  as  to  fully  warrant  the  present 
recognized  distinctions  between  them.  What  these  differences  are  will 
be  understood  from  a  study  of  the  description  and  characteristics  of  the 
two  breeds — which  see. 

Improvement  of  the  Aberdeen- Angus  was  first  begun  in  a  systematic 
way  about  the  opening  of  the  present  century.  Probably  no  man  has 
contributed  more  to  advance  the  merits  of  Angus  cattle  than  Mr.  Hugh 
Watson,  of  Keillor,  Scotland.  Mr.  Watson  began  his  herd  in  1808  with 
2  bulls  and  14  cows — the  "best  and  blackest"  that  could  be  found — and 
by  continually  breeding  in  and  in,  putting  the  "best  to  the  best,"  without 
regard  to  relationship,  and  carefully  weeding  out  all  freaks  or  reversions, 
he  established  a  reputation  for  his  herd,  and  for  himself  as  a  breeder, 
which  the  most  successful  of  breeders  might  well  envy.  The  early  im- 
provers brought  to  the  work  superior  ability,  practical  experience  and 
sound  sense.  Following  up  the  demand  for  an  animal  that  should  range 
well,  and  at  the  same  time  prove  a  kindly  feeder,  quick  maturer  and 
an  animal  of  large  size,  they  kept  steadily  at  work,  until  the  foundation 
of  the  Angus  breed  was  thoroughly  laid,  tested  and  received.  Among 
the  later  breeders  of  note  we  may  mention  William  McCombie,  of  Tilly- 
four.  His  herd  was  started  about  the  year  1830 — just  at  the  time  when 
the  pure  bred  Aberdeen-Angus  was  threatened  with  total  extinction 

196 


ABERDEEN- ANGUS. 


197 


198  ABERDEEN-ANGUS. 

through  the  exceeding  popularity  of  the  Angus-Shorthorn  crosses  for 
feeding  purposes.  Mr.  McCombie  believed  that  the  Angus  breed  was 
eminently  worthy  not  only  of  preservation,  but  of  improvement  as  well, 
and  steadily  directed  his  energies  toward  the  accomplishment  of  this  end. 

IMPORTATION  TO  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

The  first  of  which  we  have  any  record  was  made  in  1873  by  Mr. 
Grant,  of  Victoria,  Kan.;  this  was  followed  in  1878  by  an  importation  of 
five  cows  and  a  bull  for  Messrs.  Anderson  &  Findlay,  of  Lake  Forest, 
111.,  and  the  next  year  a  few  head  were  brought  over  by  Mr.  F.  B.  Red- 
field,  of  Batavia,  N.  Y. ;  since  that  time  importations  have  been  numer- 
ous and  breeding  rapid,  until  there  are  at  present  writing  probably  not 
less  than  4,500  to  5,000  head  of  pure  bred  Aberdeen- Angus  in  the 
United  States. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

We  can  best  distinguish  them  by  a  comparison  with  the  close  de- 
scription of  the  Galloway  already  given  :  There  are  no  horns.  The 
color  is  pure  shining  black — without  the  brown  tinge  of  the  Galloway — 
and  the  hair  is  fine,  smooth,  short  and  close-lying.  In  this  respect, 
alone,  the  Angus  cattle  show  a  greater  nicety  of  breeding,  and,  taken  in 
connection  with  their  size,  illustrate  perfectly  the  aim  of  both  early  and 
modern  improvers  of  the  breed,  namely  :  To  produce  an  animal  which 
could  be  forced  with  profit,  attain  large  size,  and  attract  attention  by 
his  neat  and  meaty  appearance. 

In  size  they  are  considerably  ahead  of  the  Galloway,  mature  bulls 
ranging  from  1,800  to  2,2oolbs.,  and  cows  from  i,iooto  1,500  Ibs. ;  the 
forehead  is  less  inclined  to  fullness,  the  back  broader  ;  flanks  deeper, 
and  general  form  more  nearly  filling  the  beef  rectangle. 

To  the  ordinary  observer,  not  interested  financially,  in  either 
breed,  the  Aberdeen-Angus  would  undoubtedly  rank  first  from  looks 
alone  ;  to  those  who  go  further,  and  demand  not  only  looks,  but  hardi- 
ness and  other  qualities  combined,  it  is  difficult  to  decide  between  them. 
From  our  own  experience,  and  what  we  have  gathered  from  others,  the 
Aberdeen-Angus  is  the  better  animal  to  buy  where  feed  is  plenty  and 
pasture  luxuriant ;  but  for  the  range,  where  the  animal  has  to  look  out 
for  himself,  we  would  prefer  the  Galloway.  The  fact  already  stated — 
that  Galloways  acclimate  somewhat  better  than  Angus  in  the  southern 
fever  belt — the  latter  standing  next  below  the  former — bears  considerable 
weight  with  breeders  in  the  great  Southwest.  To  offset  this,  Angus 
cattle  mature  earlier,  and  attain  greater  size.  Each  breed  claims  pre- 
eminence in  beef  qualities,  and  we  candidly  confess  our  inability  to  see 
any  difference  between  them  on  this  point.  As  a  milk  cow,  the  Aber- 
deen-Angus gives  an  ample  supply  for  her  calf — no  more  is  needed  for 
the  range.  Either  Angus  or  Galloway  bulls  are  excellent  dehorners. 


ABERDEEN-ANGUS. 


IQ9 


2OO  ABERDEEN-ANGUS. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  was  adopted  by  the  American  Aber- 
deen-Angus Breeders'  Association,  Nov.  20,  1890  : 

COWS  BULLS 

a Color 3 

10 Head 10 

3 ....  „•..-•...'.    .    .  Throat 3 

3 Neck 3 

6 Shoulders 6 

10 Chest -,    '. 10 

4 Brisket 4 

8 Ribs 8 

10 Back 10 

8 ....  Hind  Quarters 8 

3 Tail .'  .    , 3 

8 Udder 

4 Underline 4 

3 .  Legs   .-.-'.  ;.    .    ..  .    -    . 4 

3 .  Flesh    .    ......... 4 

10 Skin 10 

5 General  Appearance 10 


100 Perfection 100 

When  bulls  are  shown  in  separate  class  with  progeny,  add  25  points 
for  progeny. 

The  first  volume  of  the  American  Aberdeen- Angus  Herd  Book  was 
published  in  1886  the  two  main  requisites  for  record  being:  (i)  The 
animal  itself  or  its  sire  and  dam  must  be  recorded  in  the  8th  or 
prior  volumes  of  the  Polled  Aberdeen  or  Angus  Herd  Book  of  Scotland. 
(2)  The  animal  must  be  the  produce  by  registered  sire  of  a  cow  that 
has  produce  in  the  8th  or  prior  volumes  of  the  Polled  Aberdeen  or 
Angus  Herd  Book  of  Scotland.  Thos.  McFarlane,  Harvey,  111.,  is  the 
present  efficient  secretary  of  the  association.  The  illustrations  of  both 
Galloways  and  Angus  represent  excellent  specimens  of  their  re- 
spective breeds,  and  will  well  repay  a  careful  study. 


Chapter  XLI. 


POLLED  DURHAMS. 

The  Polled  Durham  breed  is  of  recent  origin ;  indeed  it  is  only 
within  the  last  three  years  that  it  could  at  all  lay  claim  to  the  title. 
Since,  however,  the  blood  lines  have  become  so  fixed,  and  the  features 
sought  to  be  perpetuated  are  therefore  transmitted  with  a  great  degree 
of  certainty,  their  breeders  have  banded  together  and  propose  to  place 
before  the  world  the  merits  of  their  favorites  on  a  blood  parity  with 
other  breeds.  In  November,  1889,  the  American  Polled  Durham 
Breeders'  Association  was  organized  and  the  Herd  Book  started.  The 
association  now  has  a  membership  of  between  forty  and  fifty,  and  there 
are  registered  in  the  Herd  Book  something  over  200  animals.  Mr. 
Wm.  W.  Crane,  Tippecanoe  City,  Ohio,  is  president,  and  Mr.  A.  E. 
Burleigh,  Mazon,  111.,  secretary. 

As  the  name  of  the  breed  indicates,  its  basal  blood  is  drawn  from 
Shorthorn  or  "  Durham  "  ancestry.  The  best  "  muley  "  or  polled  cows 
were  selected  from  among  the  common  or  native  herds  in  the  central- 
western  and  Mississippi  Valley  portions  of  the  United  States,  and  these 
cows  were  bred  to  registered,  selected  Shorthorn  bulls.  Only  the  best 
hornless  heifers  were  selected  from  the  calves  thus  bred,  and  these 
were  in  time  returned  to  registered  Shorthorn  bulls.  This  plan  was 
persistently  followed  by  several  conscientious  and  thoroughly  reliable 
breeders  independently  of  each  other,  and,  indeed,  each  without  the 
other's  knowledge,  until  after  several  generations  of  selective  breeding, 
the  Shorthorn  outline,  and  especially  the  best  beef  or  feeding  character- 
istics of  that  old  and  popular  breed,  were  firmly  fixed  in  combination 
with  the  potent  hornless  feature  of  the  "muley"  cows,  and  the  modern 
breed  of  Polled  Durhams  was  established. 

Of  the  breeders  who,  in  this  quiet  way,  have  worked  so  faithfully 
to  bring  about  what  now  has  been  so  worthily  attained,  we  can  only 
mention  those  most  prominent,  whose  names  must  live  in  Polled  Dur- 
ham history  as  do  the  names  of  Booth  and  Bates  in  that  of  their  Short- 
horn ancestry.  Dr.  Wm.  W.  Crane,  Tippecanoe  City,  Ohio,  now  pres- 
ident of  the  association  ;  Salem  R.  Clawson,  Clawson,  Ohio  ;  Peter 
Shafor,  also  of  Ohio;  J.  L.  Burleigh,  Mazon,  111.,  now  secretary  ;  and 
T.  Dunham,  of  Iowa. 

Among    the    later  breeders    we     may    mention    Mr.    J.    H.    Miller, 


2O2  POLLED     DURHAMS. 

Mexico,  Ind.,  who  in  1891  purchased  entire  the  fine  herds  of  Dr.  Crane 
and  Mr.  Clawson,  and  is  now  vigorously  and  successfully  pushing  the 
Durham  "doddies"  into  popular  favor.  Our  illustration  represents  two 
of  his  best  cows,  and  shows  the  symmetry  and  beauty  of  the  breed. 
The  engraving  is  an  artist's  faithful  reproduction  from  photographs 
taken  on  the  grounds  of  the  Illinois  State  Fair  Association  at  Peoria, 
in  September,  1892. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  varies — red,  red  and  white,  roan,  and,  indeed,  as  with  the 
Shorthorns,  all  colors  except  black,  brown  or  brindle.  Size  full}'  equal 
to  the  beef  families  of  Shorthorns — mature  bulls  weighing  from  1,900 
to  2,300  Ibs.  and  upwards  ;  cows,  1,200  to  1,600  Ibs.  and  over. 

The  appearance  is  exactly  that  of  a.  typical  Shorthorn  of  beef  procliv- 
ity without  the  horns.  Full  rounded  barrel ;  wide,  straight  back  ;  heavy 
muscled  shoulders,  with  neck  well  set  on  ;  wide,  deep  chest  over  heavy 
brisket  ;  well  filled  quarters,  especially  low  at  the  twist ;  short,  straight 
legs,  set  wide  apart  and  easily  supporting  all  the  weight  of  body 
a  breeder  could  desire  ;  short,  firm-fleshed  neck,  with  little  dewlap,  and 
short,  neat  head,  with  intelligent  face  and  large,  expressive  eyes.  The 
dominant  characteristic  of  this  new  American  breed  is  feeding  quality 
for  beef  production,  although,  as  Mr.  Miller  states,  "they  have  the 
color,  the  contour  and  general  make-up  of  the  grand  old  breed  from 
which  they  have  been  mainly  builded  ;  besides,  in  their  production,  their 
milking  qualities  have  not  been  lost  sight  of,  and  among  them  are  some 
excellent  milkers. " 

We  have  thought  best  to  class  this  new  breed  with  the  beef  pro- 
ducers of  the  world,  admitting  Mr.  Miller's  statement  that  some  excel- 
lent milkers  are  found ;  but  shall  insist,  what  the  facts  regarding 
different  families  warrant,  that  the  grand  old-Shorthorn  breed,  from  the 
more  beefy  types  of  which  the  new  breed  has  arisen,  be  still  classed  as 
distinctively  and  usefully  "general  purpose,"  regardless  of  the  fact  that 
some  families  have  been  bred  directly  into  beef  production  and  out  of 
dairy  excellence. 


203 


I    r 


Chapter  XLII. 


SUSSEX   CATTLE. 

This  breed  is  closely  allied  to  the  Devon — indeed,  some  writers  as- 
sert that  it  is  folly  to  class  them  as  separate  breeds.  We  cannot  think 
so.  Certainly  their  origin  is  found  in  the  same  stock,  but  this  is  also  true 
of  the  Galloway  and  Aberdeen-Angus  breeds.  The  early  writers  on  the 
breeds  of  cattle  of  Great  Britain  certainly  looked  upon  the  Sussex  as  a 
breed  well  worthy  a  class  by  itself.  Youatt  and  Martin,  while  acknowl- 
edging the  common  origin  of  both  Devon  and  Sussex  cattle,  yet  speak 
of  the  Sussex  ox  as  possessing  not  only  the  activity  of  the  Devon,  but 
the  strength  of  the  Hereford;  "with  the  propensity  to  fatten,  and  the 
beautiful  fine  grained  flesh  of  both." 

The  breed  takes  its  name  from  the  county  or  shire  of  Sussex,  in 
England,  adjoining  Devonshire,  and  differing  from  it  in  contour,  eleva- 
tion and  fertility  of  soil.  As  already  mentioned,  the  Devons  occupied 
the  elevated  slopes  bordering  the  Severn;  the  Sussex  cattle  held  the 
lower  regions  of  rich,  luxuriant  pasture  farther  east;  and  this  fact  alone 
— when  we  consider  the  long  period  of  time  involved — would  naturally 
lead  to  a  very  supposable  difference  between  the  two  breeds. 

Improvement  of  the  Sussex  has  not  been  rapid,  but  rather  marked 
by  the  slow,  steady  conservatism  of  their  English  breeders.  In  Amer- 
ica they  have  obtained  a  foothold,  and  already  claim  a  large  share  of 
favor  from  American  stockmen.  Mr.  Overton  Lea,  the  energetic  and 
popular  breeder,  of  Mont  Eagle,  Tenn.  (now  secretary  of  the  recently 
organized  association),  has  done  more  towards  pushing  the  Sussex  to  the 
front  in  the  last  ten  years  than  all  their  breeders  in  England  combined 
— and  only  because  he  has  freely  advertised  and  fully  exhibited  his  cat- 
tle, courting  inspection  at  all  times,  and  asking  only  an  honest  opinion 
as  to  their  merits. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color,  like  the  Devon,  a  rich  dark  red,  with  white  brush  to  the  tail; 
in  size  they  excel  the  Devon  considerably,  mature  bulls  weighing  from 
1,700  to  2,000  Ibs.,  and  cows  i,  100  to  i,4Oolbs.  Comparing  further  with 
the  Devon,  we  may  say:  The  head  is  coarser,  with  thicker  horns;  neck 
heavier,  shoulders  deeper,  barrel  longer  and  general  form  showing  more 
of  a  beef  tendency;  they  mature  as  early;  are  fine  feeders,  hardy,  dress 
well,  and  produce  an  excellent  quality  of  flesh. 

204 


SUSSEX     CATTLE. 


205 


2O6  SUSSEX    CATTLE. 

At  the  Fat  Stock  Show,  Chicago,  1885,  a  yearling  Sussex  steer  re- 
ceived the  Class  prize  on  the  butcher's  block,  and  was  only  defeated  by 
one  vote  for  the  Sweepstakes  prize  open  to  all  ages.  At  the  Kansas  City 
Fat  Stock  Show,  1886,  a  two-year-old  Sussex  heifer,  shown  by  Fowler 
and  Van  Natta,  of  Indiana,  won  both  the  Class  and  the  Sweepstakes 
prizes.  When  we  consider  the  great  number  of  magnificent  carcasses 
exhibited  in  competition,  we  may  readily  accord  to  the  Sussex  for  beef 
a  place  among  those  in  the  front  rank. 

As  milk  stock,  they  cannot  claim  much.  Improvement  of  the  breed 
has  been  rather  with  a  view  of  increasing  size,  appearance  and  feeding 
value,  than  with  any  idea  of  enhancing  their  dairy  qualities.  What  milk 
they  do  give,  however,  is  quite  rich  in  cream,  and  occasionally  a  cow  is 
found  capable  of  an  excellent  record  as  to  quantity. 

The  engraving  was  prepared  expressly  for  our  use,  and  we  do  not 
hesitate  to  say  that  the  animals  represented  are  second  to  few  if  any  in 
America  in  point  of  general  merit.  Mr.  Lea,  as  a  breeder  of  Sussex, 
has  been  remarkably  successful,  and  his  uniform  courtesy  and  fair  deal- 
ing have  secured  for  him  a  host  of  well-wishers. 


Chapter  XLIII. 


SIMMENTHAL  (BERNESE)  CATTLE. 

The  Simmenthal  cattle  came  originally  from  Canton  Berne,  Swit- 
zerland, but  the  best  specimens  are  found  in  the  valleys  of  Bernese  Over- 
land and  on  the  rich  pastures  of  western  Switzerland  and  southern  Ger- 
many. In  southern  Germany,  especially,  the  fertile  valleys  have  been 
found  very  favorable  to  steady  improvement,  and  to  the  late  King  Wil- 
liam of  Wtirtemberg,  who  was  especially  interested  in  their  importation 
to  Germany,  the  breed  is  largely  indebted  for  its  present  improved  con- 
dition. 

So  far  as  we  can  ascertain,  only  two  importations  of  these  cattle 
have  been  made  to  the  United  States.  In  1886,  the  Rev.  F.  von  Schlu- 
•embach,  of  Perry,  Tex.,  while  on  one  of  his  periodical  visits  to  Ger- 
many, became  much  impressed  with  the  idea  that  just  such  cattle  as  the 
Simmenthal  were  needed  in  the  United  States,  and  if  properly  handled 
would  grow  rapidly  in  favor.  He  accordingly  secured  and  brought  over 
successfully  four  head — two  bulls  and  two  heifers,  all  yearlings — the  first 
Simmenthal  cattle  ever  brought  to  America.  (The  second  importation 
•of  Simmenthal  cattle  was  made  in  May,  1887,  by  John  Dick,  of  Quincy, 
111.)  Writing  to  the  author,  under  date  February  i4th,  1888,  Rev.  von 
Schluembach  says: 

"*  *  *  *  The  weight  of  the  cattle  in  Switzerland  is  very  great ;  bulls 
up  to  3, ooo  Ibs. ;  cows  five  years  old,  upwards  of  i ,  800  Ibs.  Height,  from  i .  34  to  i .  4  meters 
[54  to  56  inches];  length,  2.15  to  2.2  meters  [85  to  87  inches],  well  and  equally  developed 
animals.  *  *  *  *  Edelweiss  [referring  to  one  of  the  heifers  imported  in 
1886],  three-year-old  cow,  May  ist,  gives  about  four  quarts  per  day  now,  but  she  will 
come  in  with  second  calf  very  soon.  They  are  not  a  distinctly  dairy  breed,  but  are  rather 
for  meat  purposes  ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  I  believe  good  milkers  if  properly  attended  to. 
Although  I  imported  my  cattle  in  spring,  and  after  quarantine  in  New  York,  had  to  bring 
them  to  Texas  in  August,  by  steamer  to  New  Orleans,  they  have  done  finely  from  the 
start,  and  are  easily  acclimatized.  The  success  I  had  with  them  in  this  respect  I  attribute 
in  no  little  measure  to  your  excellent  and  very  reliable  suggestions.  *  *  *  They 
are  easy  kept  in  food,  are  fully  satisfied  with  Texas  prairie  hay  and  loose  bran,  feed  up 
well,  and  fatten  easily.  *  *  *" 

Wishing  to  present  an  accurate  description  of  this  valuable  breed, 
the  author  made  a  personal  inspection  of  Rev.  von  Schluembach' s  herd 
in  March,  1888,  and  from  notes  made  at  that  time,  gives  the  following 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  light  yellowish  red,  spotted  with  white — in  one  strain  of  the 
breed,  evenly  variegated;  in  the  other  strain  the  white  is  confined 

207 


208  SIMMENTHAL     (BERNESE)     CATTLE. 

mainly  to  the  legs  and  belly  line,  with  white  marks  about  the  flanks,  and 
usually,  also,  about  head  and  neck.  Further  than  this  there  is  no  dis- 
tinctive arrangement  of  color  markings.  In  size  they  are  fully  equal  to 
the  largest  Herefords  or  Holstein-Friesians — bulls  weighing  at  maturity 
1,900  to  2,300  pounds,  cows  from  1,200  to  1,600  Ibs.  The  head  is 
broad  and  short,  rather  beefy,  with  a  neck  which  in  the  bull  fills  up 
grandly  as  the  animal  develops,  and  in  the  cow  is  short,  not  delicate, 
but  neat  and  well  carried.  There  is  a  characteristic  mark  in  the  peculiar 
pendent  skin  beneath  the  throttle  in  both  sexes — especially  so  in  the 
bull — and  in  the  rather  long  and  finely  shaped  ears  well  fringed  with 
hair.  The  horns  are  white  and  waxy  to  the  tips,  pointing  outward  and 
upward,  sometimes  forward,  much  like  those  of  the  Hereford,  but 
shorter  and  better  curved.  The  shoulders  are  deep  and  surmounted  by 
a  mass  of  dense  muscular  tissue,  filling  the  crops  to  an  even  line  ;  ribs 
well  sprung  to  a  neatly  rounded  barrel ;  haunches  smooth,  not  promi 
nent — indeed,  the  even,  rounded  appearance  of  the  haunches,  as  seen 
from  rear  view,  may  be  called  a  prominent  characteristic  of  the  breed. 
The  tail  is  placed  well  up,  and  drops  squarely  between  full  buttocks  ; 
legs  medium  to  short,  with  large,  strong  bone  closely  held  in  firm  tissue 
— almost  the  perfection  of  bovine  symmetry  and  strength.  The  general 
appearance  indicates  beef  and  feeding  capacity ;  and  the  long  body, 
squarely  placed  on  legs  of  moderate  length,  gives  a  framework  of  suf- 
ficient size  to  carry  an  enormous  carcass. 

As  we  have  already  indicated,  the  Simmenthal  should  be  classed 
with  the  beef  breeds.  As  to  their  merit  for  use  in  grading  up  on  the 
range,  we  can  only  conjecture,  as  they  have  not  been  tried  long  enough 
to  exhibit  many  grade  offspring.  We  believe,  however,  that  the  South- 
western rangemen  have  a  very  valuable  addition  to  their  stock  in  this 
breed,  and  we  shall  await  further  trial  with  interest. 

The  engraving  has  been  prepared  expressly  for  our  use  from  a  pho- 
tograph of  Rev.  von  Schluembach's  cattle,  by  Baron  von  Hollweg, 
and  is  remarkably  accurate  in  all  details.  The  bull  in  front  is  Czar ;  a 
fine  model,  with  evenly  variegated  color.  The  one  showing  escutcheon 
(rear  view)  is  Sultan  ;  he  represents  the  type  in  which  the  white  mark- 
ings are  limited  to  lower  line,  legs  and  head.  The  view  of  Sultan  dis- 
plays fully  the  characteristic  rounded  haunches,  and  shows  a  thigh  well 
turned  and  extremely  muscular.  The  cow  Edelweiss  is  unfortunately 
almost  hidden  by  the  two  bulls,  but  is  fully  their  equal  in  breed 
markings  and  characteristics. 

[Rev.  von  Schluembach's  address  is  now  Cleveland,  Ohio.] 


SIMMENTHAL     (BERNESE)     CATTLE. 


Chapter  XLIV. 


BRAHMIN  (ZEBU)  CATTLE. 

Referring  to  the  name  by  which  these  cattle  are  known  in  America, 
it  may  be  well  to  state  that  it  has  no  authentic  foundation  other  than 
the  prevalent  but  mistaken  idea — that  but  one  breed  of  cattle  is 
found  in  India,  and  that  one  connected  in  some  mysterious  way  with  the 
Brahmin  religion.  There  are,  in  fact,  several  breeds  of  cattle  in  India, 
each  one  transmitting  its  peculiar  qualities  with  as  much  certainty 
as  do  any  of  the  modern  breeds  so  well  known  in  America. 
True,  all  of  these  families  possess  many  characteristics  in  common,  but 
they  differ  sharply  in  those  distinctive  qualities  by  which  American 
breeders  must  judge  of  their  value. 

Mr.  Albert  Montgomery,  of  New  Orleans,  has  kindly  placed  at 
hand  a  number  of  private  letters  from  reliable  parties  in  various  por- 
tions of  India,  written  in  response  to  queries  prior  to  his  importation  of 
Brahmins  in  1885.  According  to  the  unanimous  testimony  of  these 
men — well  qualified  to  judge — the  family  best  calculated  to  find  favor 
in  America  is,  in  India,  known  as  the  "Buchour,"  and  it  is  from  cattle 
of  this  family  that  most  of  the  shipments  to  America  have  been  made. 
The  name  "Brahmin,"  however,  is  so  firmly  fixed  among  those  who 
have  bred  or  known  them  in  the  Southern  States,  that  it  would  be  im- 
practicable, at  least,  to  attempt  a  change.  We  have  therefore  adopted 
the  nomenclature  which  heads  this  chapter,  and  shall  refer  solely  to  the 
cattle  as  now  known  in  the  United  States. 

The  Brahmins — as  noted  above — form  one  of  the  common  domestic 
breeds  of  Indian  cattle,  are  found  also  in  China  and  East  Africa,  and  are 
the  only  breed  which  can  endure  the  intense  heat  and  insect  pests  of  the 
countries  named.  They  differ  from  our  domestic  cattle  in  the  following 
particulars  :  The  period  of  gestation  is  about  300  days,  while  the  aver- 
age period  with  the  common  cow  is  283  days ;  they  have  a  hump  of  fat 
over  the  shoulders,  and  18  caudal  vertebrae  as  against  21  in  our  ordinary 
cattle.  These  characteristics  have  led  naturalists  to  class  them  as  a 
distinct  species  (Bos  Indicus},  but  the  bulls  breed  as  freely  with  all 
varieties  of  the  common  cow  {Bos  taurus)  as  with  females  of  their  own 
peculiar  breed. 

Introduction  to  the  United  States  dates  from  the  year  1849,  when 
Dr.  James  Bolton  Davis,  of  Charleston,  S.  C.,  secured  from  the  Earl  of 
Derby  and  imported  the  first  pair  of  Brahmins  ever  brought  to  the 


BRAHMIN    (ZEBU)    CATTLE.  211 

United  States.  Dr.  Davis,  who  died  in  1859,  was  a  typical  southern 
gentleman  of  the  old  school,  whose  thorough  knowledge  of  medicine  was 
combined  with  not  only  a  close  knowledge  of,  but  also  an  enthusiastic 
love  for,  progressive  agriculture.  In  1846,  on  the  recommendation  of 
President  James  K.  Polk,  Dr.  Davis  was  engaged  at  a  salary  of  $25,000 
per  year  by  the  Sultan  of  Turkey,  Abdul  Medjid,  to  attempt  the  intro- 
duction of  cotton  into  the  Turkish  Empire,  and  to  instruct  certain  se- 
lected pupils  in  the  cultivation  of  cotton  and  the  general  principles  of 
the  then  modern  American  agriculture.  As  a  matter  of  interest  it  may 
be  stated  that  the  Doctor  was  successful  in  introducing  three  varieties 
of  cotton — the  White,  the  Nankeen  and  the  Silk — and  continued  his 
work  of  instructing  the  Sultan's  selected  pupils  for  a  period  of  three 
years.  During  his  three  years'  stay  in  Turkey,  the  Doctor  obtained 
pure-bred  specimens  of  the  Indian  Buffalo  (JBos  gaurus}  or  "water  ox," 
the  Cashmere  goat,  the  Thibet  shawl  goat,  and  the  Scind  goat.  These 
were  brought  first  to  Turkey  in  Asia,  thence  to  Turkey  in  Europe,  and 
thence  to  America  via  Liverpool.  While  in  England  with  his  family  on 
his  way  home,  Dr.  Davis  became  acquainted  with  the  Earl  of  Derby, 
who  had  some  pure  Brahmin  cattle — secured  by  him  direct  from  India, 
through  the  agency  of  the  East  Indian  Co.,  a  short  time  before.  The 
Earl  had  no  Cashmere  goats  and  the  Doctor  had  no  Brahmin  cattle. 
Negotiations  were  therefore  made  which  resulted  in  a  mutually  satisfac- 
tory exchange — the  Doctor  leaving  some  Cashmere  goats  in  England, 
and  adding  to  his  already  unique  collection  for  shipment  to  America  a 
pair  of  pure  Indian-bred  Brahmins. 

For  a  time  after  reaching  South  Carolina  the  Brahmins,  with  the 
other  animals  imported  from  Asia,  were  kept  on  the  rice  plantations  in 
the  lower  part  of  the  state,  but  after  a  time  were  taken  to  the  Doctor's 
old  homestead,  in  Fairfield  county.  About  the  time  of  the  removal 
Dr.  Davis  sold  the  original  imported  pair  of  Brahmins  for  $4,500 
to  a  Mr.  Eades  of  Kentucky — their  increase  and  most  of  the  grade 
offspring  from  common  cows  being  afterwards  sold  to  Col.  Richard 
Peters,  of  Atlanta,  Ga. ,  who  purchased  also  some  of  the  pure  bred 
Cashmere  goats.  From  the  best  information  obtainable  the  cattle  sold 
Eades  finally  found  their  way  to  the  McHatton  farm  above  St.  Louis  ; 
but  it  was  too  far  north  for  them,  and  they  were  afterward  sold  at 
auction. 

Brahmin  cattle  found  their  way  to  Mexico  about  1867,  when  Mr.  F. 
McManus  &  Sons  shipped  20  head — descended  from  the  Davis  importa- 
tion— to  the  "Brachimba  Farm,"  near  the  city  of  Mexico.  No  attempt 
was  anywhere  made  to  keep  them  pure,  but  the  grades  were  much 
sought,  and  were  soon  widely  scattered  through  northeast  Mexico  and 
southern  Texas.  Col.  Peters  also  made  an  importation  of  pure  Brah- 
mins before  the  war,  and  descendants  of  his  stock  have  been  scattered 


212  BRAHMIN     (ZEBU)     CATTLE. 

all  over  Florida  and  the  coast  regions  of  Georgia,  Alabama,  Mississippi, 
Louisiana  and  Texas.  In  soiithern  Texas  especially,  the  Brahmin  blood 
has  played  an  important  part  in  improving  the  native  stock,  and  its 
value  is  attested  by  the  constant  demand  for  Brahmin  grades  from  prac- 
tical stockmen  in  the  region  named. 

For  the  imformation  concerning  Dr.  Davis'  importation  of  Brahmins 
we  are  indebted  to  a  valued  friend,  Mrs.  Harriet  Davis  White — daughter 
of  Dr.  Davis,  and  now  the  charming  wife  of  Major  H.  K.  White,  a 
wealthy  Brazos  bottom  planter,  and  member  of  the  Texas  House  of 
Representatives,  residing  in  Bryan,  Texas.  We  sincerely  hope  that 
Mrs.  White  may  be  prevailed  upon  to  prepare — as  she  has  been  urged 
to  do — what  could  not  fail  to  be  a  most  interesting  account  of  her 
father's  life,  especially  that  portion  of  it  covering  his  three  years  so- 
journ in  Turkey,  and  his  experience  in  importing  and  handling  Brahmins 
and  other  Asiatic  stock. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

They  may  be  best  described  by  calling  attention  to  those  peculiar 
points  which  distinguish  the  grades — even  when  as  low  as  i-i6th  of 
Brahmin  blood  is  present.  The  ears  are  long  and  drooping  ;  the  horns, 
in  the  thoroughbred,  point  upward  and  backward  ;  in  the  grades  this 
peculiarity  is  retained,  but  greatly  modified.  The  dewlap  is  voluminous, 
especially  at  the  throttle  ;  the  hips  are  rather  narrow,  and  the  rump 
slopes  rapidly  from  sacrum  to  the  tail.  The  loose  fold  of  skin  at  the 
navel  is  remarkably  developed,  swinging  from  old  males  so  as  to  almost 
touch  the  ground  :  this  latter  may  be  called  the  distinguishing  mark  of  a 
Brahmin  grade.  We  have  seen  a  great  many  of  these  grade  steers — 
some  of  them  not  having  more  than  i-i6th  of  Brahmin  blood,  but  every 
one  retained  this  peculiar  mark.  In  the  grade  heifers  or  cows,  it  is  not 
so  strongly  marked,  but  even  a  novice  would  have  no  trouble  in  detect- 
ing the  Brahmin  blood.  The  color  of  the  thoroughbred  Brahmin  is  a 
sort  of  silver  gray,  with  darker  (iron  gray)  fore  and  hind  quarters,  and 
a  large  percentage  of  the  grades  from  native  cows  exhibit  similar  mark- 
ings. 

As  to  the  economic  value  of  this  breed  for  the  Southwestern  ranges, 
we  have  already  written.  The  great  advantage  they  have  over  any 
other  breed  capable  of  improving  the  so-called  "native"  Texan,  lies  in 
the  fact,  that  they  acclimate  with  perfect  safety.  Their  native  home  is 
subject  to  about  the  same  conditions  (in  concentrated  form)  as  obtain 
in  the  Gulf  regions  of  the  United  States  ;  and  a  change  to  the  latter 
seems  only  to  act  as  a  sort  of  strong  tonic,  increasing  the  general  vigor 
and  health. 

We  cannot  say  that  we  admire  them — in  fact  an  American  ideal  of 
a  thoroughbred  bull  is  likely  to  be  considerably  shattered  on  first  inspec- 


BRAHMIN     (ZEBU)     CATTLE. 


213 


214  BRAHMIN     (ZEBU)     CATTLE. 

tion  of  a  typical  Brahmin ;  but  there  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  their  utility 
in  the  region  named.  The  cross  improves  the  quali'ty  of  native  beef, 
and  adds  quantity  by  increasing  si'ze.  For  the  dairy,  some  of  the  cows 
are  said  to  be  superior ;  they  give  a  large  quantity  of  milk,  but  the 
quality  is  rather  deficient ;  moreover,  the  wild  nature  of  the  animal  is 
liable  to  crop  out  in  a  variable  and  sometimes  vicious  temper.  The 
grades  from  good  quiet  cows,  are  of  course  more  nearly  free  from  this 
objection,  and  in  many  places  dairies  of  Brahmin  grades  are  giving 
good  satisfaction. 

The  previously  published  experience  of  Col.  Peters  is  interesting 
in  this  connection,  and  we  quote  : 

"The  animals  did  excellent,  and  I  thought  I  had  solved  the  problem.  They  made 
fine  beef  cattle — wonderful — and  some  of  them  were  extraordinary  milkers.  I  had  one 
grade  Brahmin  cow  that  gave  36  quarts  of  milk  per  day  ;  I  exhibited  her  at  the  fairs,  and 
took  premiums  everywhere  ;  but  I  discovered  that  the  milk  lacked  butter-making  qualities. 
*  *  *  *  And  then  the  Brahmins  were  the  most  malevolent  animals  in  the  world, 
with  a  distinctive  aversion  to  women.  I  don't  think  I  ever  saw  a  Brahmin  cow  that  a 
woman  could  milk.  *  *  *  *  I  never  knew  one  animal  to  die  of  murrain.  They 
made  the  best  work  oxen  I  ever  raised." 

The  place  for  the  Bramins  is  on  the  Southern  ranges,  and  the  grade 
bulls — half  bloods — with  which  Mr.  Albert  Montgomery,  of  New 
Orleans,  and  his  partner,  J.  M.  Frost,  of  Houston,  Texas,  are  supplying 
the  market,  find  ready  sale  at  good  prices.  Mr.  Frost,  writing  to  the 
Author  under  date  of  July  gth,  1888,  says  : 

"I  defy  any  man  to  name  the  time  when  he  ever  saw  a  tick  on  either  pure  or 
half-breeds,  or  a  worm  from  the  blow  fly  [screw  worms].  Further  than  this,  I  defy 
any  man  to  say  that  he  ever  saw  any  of  them  to  die  from  a  severe  winter.  They  are 
the  grandest  cattle  that  exist  for  southern  climates." 

The  illustration  represents  the  imported  Brahmin  bull  Khedive,  and 
two  of  his  grade  offspring  from  native  Texas  cows — property  of  the 
gentlemen  just  mentioned — and  was  engraved  for  our  use  from  photo- 
graphs taken  in  Houston,  Texas. 


Chapter  XLV. 


WEST  HIGHLAND    CATTLE. 

{Kyloes. ) 

This  breed  is  undoubtedly  native  to  the  Highlands  of  West  Scot- 
land and  the  islands  along  the  coast.  The  mountain  breeds  of  Scot- 
land may  all  be  referred  to  the  same  original  stock  and  their  variations 
at  the  present  time,  ascribed  to  climatic  or  other  natural  and  artificial 
conditions  under  which  they  have  been  reared.  As  in  Wales  we  have 
the  Pembroke  and  North  Wales  Cattle,  so  in  Scotland  we  have  the 
West  Highlands,  as  direct  descendants  of  the  original  Forest  stock. 

Improvement  of  the  breed  has  been  effected  mainly  by  selection 
and  careful  in-breeding.  About  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  the  Duke 
of  Argyle  commenced  a  systematic  course  of  breeding,  which  soon  called 
public  attention  to  the  herds  of  Argyleshire ;  in  course  of  time  the 
superior  quality  of  his  stock  was  communicated  to  all  the  cattle  of  the 
Highlands,  and  has  since  served  as  a  basis  for  their  continued  excel- 
lence and  improvement.  The  Hebridean  farmers  especially,  declare 
that  the  Kyloes  are  as  nearly  perfect,  for  that  locality,  as  may  be,  and 
assert  positively  that  outcrosses,  whenever  tried,  have  only  tended  to 
render  the  offspring  less  hardy  without  increasing  either  quality  or 
quantity  of  beef.  Several  importations  have  recently  been  made  to  the 
United  States  and  Canada,  and  we  may  confidently  look  for  more  exten- 
sive introduction  in  the  future. 

DESCRIPTION  . 

Color  black ;  until  late  years,  this  color  was  not  so  strictly  ad- 
hered to — brown,  brindle,  dun  and  other  colors  were  nearly  as  common 
as  black  ;  even  now,  while  the  fashionable  Kyloe  must  be  black,  there 
are  many  animals  of  equal  merit  showing  other  colors;  indeed  we  are  in- 
clined to  agree  with  Prof.  Low  when  he  says  : 

"The  breeders  should  look  to  the  essential  character  of  form,  without  limiting 
themselves  to  a  black  color  of  the  hair,  which  is  a  property  altogether  secondary." 

The  face  is  broad,  tapering  to  a  narrow  muzzle,  and  showing  a 
gradual  dish  or  curvature  from  the  horns  to  the  nose.  The  eyes  are 
prominent,  bright  and  restless  ;  ears  well  carried,  and  thickly  covered 
with  hair ;  horns  middle  sized,  broad  and  waxy  at  base,  and  curving 
upward  to  sharp  points  of  a  darker  shade  ;  neck  short,  with  considerable 

215 


2l6 


WEST     HIGHLAND     CATTLE. 


WEST  HIGHLAND  BULL 

(English  Engraving.) 


WEST  HIGHLAND     CATTLE.  217 

dewlap  ;  back  wide  and  straight,  with  full  crops  and  even  loin  ;  ribs  well 
sprung,  and  dropping  to  somewhat  flattened  sides.  A  striking  pecu- 
liarity of  the  Kyloe  is  found  in  the  small  space  between  the  hips  and 
the  last  floating  ribs.  The  lumbar  region  is  remarkably  short  and 
strong,  a  provision  rendered  necessary  by  the  mountainous  character  of 
their  native  country,  and  admirably  fitting  them  for  mountainous  or 
hilly  ranges  wherever  found.  The  hind  quarters  are  full,  deep  and 
fleshed  well  down  to  the  hock — twist  low  ;  fore  quarters  wide  apart,  deep 
and  heavy ;  brisket  very  full  and  projecting  well  forward  ;  legs  short, 
straight  and  strong  boned.  The  skin  is  mellow,  "handling"  remarkably 
well,  and  the  hair  is  long,  thick  and  more  or  less  wavy — curled  hair  is 
considered  an  objection.  In  general  we  may  say :  The  Kyloe  is  a  com 
pact,  blocky  built,  neat  looking,  middle  horned  animal  of  dark  color  and 
medium  size.  Mature  bulls  weigh  from  1,100  to  1,600  Ibs. ;  cows  from 
700  to  ijOOO  Ibs. 

CHARACTERISTICS. 

The  West  Highland  breed  has  two  very  strongly  marked  character- 
istics— (i)  hardiness  ;  and  (2)  excellent  beef  qualities.  To  use  a  western 
expression,  the  Kyloe  is  a  good  "  rustler" — that  is,  he  is  entirely  capa- 
ble of  taking  excellent  care  of  himself  if  given  a  reasonable  opportunity. 
Trained  for  generations  to  range  over  pastures  always  hilly  and  some- 
times scant,  and  sheltered  only  by  the  rocks  and  ravines  of  his  native 
range,  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  modern  Kyloe  is  superlatively  hardy. 
Why  they  have  not  been  introduced  more  extensively  in  the  ranges 
lying  along  the  foot  hills  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  is  only  explained  by 
the  push  and  energy  of  Hereford,  Angus  and  Galloway  breeders ,  and 
the  mania — we  can  call  it  nothing  else — among  Americans,  for  breeding 
size  without  regard  to  vigor.  Certainly  it  would  be  hard  to  imagine  a 
better  stock  for  the  broken  range  country  of  the  western  United  States 
than  is  found  in  this  vigorous  and  impressive  breed. 

And  now  comes  the  second  point  in  his  favor — meat  excellence. 
Facts  are  stubborn  things,  and  the  fact  that  Kyloe  or  West  Highland 
beef  has  almost  invariably  commanded  a  higher  price  in  the  London 
markets  than  beef  of  other  breeds,  speaks  volumes  in  its  favor.  We 
must  remember,  however,  that  the  Kyloes  have  never  yet  been  in  such 
demand  as  to  shut  off  the  annual  supply  of  thoroughbred  beef ;  while 
with  some  of  the  more  popular  breeds,  nothing  has  found  its  way  to 
the  shambles,  except  the  inferior  animals — too  poor  for  breeding  pur- 
poses. That  the  West  Highland  beef  is  really  better  than  the  marbled 
beef  of  either  Galloway,  Angus  or  Hereford,  we  are  much  inclined  to 
doubt ;  but  that  Kyloe  beef  is  as  good  as  the  best  there  can  be  no 
question.  As  work  cattle,  we  have  little  knowledge  concerning  them  ; 
the  people  of  the  Highlands  have  always  been  essentially  stock  raisers, 


2l8 


WEST     HIGHLAND     CATTLE. 


WEST     HIGHLAND     CATTLE.  2IO/ 

and  there  has  been  consequently  small  demand  for  oxen  trained  to  the 
yoke.  They  possess  the  essential  properties — activity  and  strength — 
and  with  training,  would  undoubtedly  rank  high  for  this  purpose. 
Nothing  is  claimed  for  the  Kyloe  cow  in  the  dairy  ;  she  gives  sufficient 
milk  to  bring  up  her  calf  in  excellent  condition,  and,  for  the  range, 
nothing  more  is  desired. 

The  engraving  of  cow  and  calf  was  prepared  expressly  for  the 
Breeder's  Gazette  of  Chicago,  and  the  kindness  of  the  Gazette  people  in 
parting  with  an  electro  for  our  use  is  acknowledged,  with  thanks. 


Chapter  XLVI. 


TEXAS    CATTLE. 

On  the  ranges  of  the  Southwest  have  existed  for  many  years  vast 
herds  of  cattle,  which  by  their  peculiar  characters — effectually  trans- 
mitted to  their  offspring — may  be  classed  as  a  breed.  Although  known 
as  "Texas  Cattle,"  the  same  race  extends  throughout  Mexico,  and  has 
been  pretty  well  scattered  through  the  more  northern  and  western  ter- 
ritories of  the  United  States.  According  to  Allen  (American  Cattle), 
"they  are  the  descendants  of  the  early  Spanish  stock  introduced  into 
Mexico  in  the  i6th  century;"  and  this  is  undoubtedly  correct,  as  a  com- 
parison of  Texas  cattle  with  the  modern  cattle  of  Spain  would  show — 
even  at  this  time,  after  centuries  of  changed  conditions — a  marked 
similarity. 

The  same  original  stock  must  also  have  furnished  a  nucleus  for  the 
now  almost  countless  bovine  population  of  South  America.  In  this 
connection  we  quote  Prof.  Low  (Domestic  Animals  of  Great  Britain)  : 

"The  origin  of  those  amazing  herds  which  cover  the  plains  of  Paraguay,  Buenos 
Ayres  and  other  noble  provinces  is  traced  by  Spanish  writers  to  the  arrival,  by  way  of 
Brazil,  of  seven  cows  and  a  bull  from  Andalusia,  at  the  City  of  Assumption,  on  the  Para- 
guay, in  the  year  1556." 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  varies;  light  dun  and  mouse  color  are,  perhaps,  most  com- 
mon, but  red,  yellow  and  black — and  each  with  all  styles  of  white 
markings — are  found.  A  point  already  mentioned  in  the  chapter  on 
Jerseys  is  the  usually  lighter  color  of  the  hair  bordering  the  muzzle — a 
peculiarity  doubtless  derived  from  the  cattle  of  Spain,  where  it  is  com- 
monly observed.  In  size  they  vary  according  to  the  quality  of  range, 
but  as  a  rule  are  small — bulls  weighing  from  1,000  to  1,200  Ibs.  ;  cows 
from  600  to  goo  Ibs.  Texas  steers  at  four  years  old,  grass  fat,  generally 
weigh  from  900  to  1,200  Ibs.  The  distinguishing  feature  lies  in  the 
extraordinary  size  of  the  horns ;  these  assume  various  wide,  spreading 
shapes,  sometimes  measuring  upwards  of  four  feet  from  tip  to  tip. 

The  cows  are  practically  worthless  for  the  dairy — few  giving  more 
than  one  or  two  gallons  per  day  on  good  feed ;  but  the  value  of  the  race 
to  the  whole  country  where  it  finds  a  natural  home  can  hardly  be  over- 
estimated. The  improved  breeds  have  found  in  this  hardy  stock  a 
basis  which  receives  most  kindly  the  blood  of  improvement ;  indeed,  but 


TEXAS     CATTLE. 


221 


222  TEXAS     CATTLE. 

for  Texas  cattle,  the  Southwest  would  wait  long  years  before  possessing 
many  herds  of  improved  varieties.  It  is  wonderful  what  results  obtain 
in  a  few  years  from  a  single  improved  bull,  placed  with  Texas  cows. 
There  is  no  dying  of  such  offspring  by  acclimating  fever,  and  if  the  bull 
only  survives  until  the  cows  are  served,  he  has  more  than  repaid  his 
cost.  It  is  this  fact  which  has  stimulated  the  demand  for  thoroughbred 
bulls  during  the  last  decade,  and  placed  thousands  upon  thousands 
of  Hereford,  Aberdeen,  Galloway,  Shorthorn  and  other  grades  upon  our 
ranges.  The  breed  originally  known  as  Texas  Cattle  will,  before  many 
years,  be  a  thing  of  the  past,  but  its  descendants,  combining  the  blood 
of  improved  varieties,  will  give  a  different  character  in  the  future  to 
Texas  cattle  sold  for  eastern  markets. 

The  engraving  is  an  e^act  reproduction  of  a  photograph  taken 
under  our  immediate  direction  August  4,  1888,  and  may  be  accepted  as 
a  fair  likeness  of  a  native  Texas  ox.  (The  horns  of  the  animal  repre- 
sented in  the  illustration  measured — at  time  the  photograph  was  taken 
— three  feet  five  inches  from  tip  to  tip,  and  the  animal — five  years  old — 
weighed  about  1,000  Ibs.) 


Chapter  XLVII. 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,    CARE    AND    MANAGE- 
MENT   OF   CATTLE. 

As  already  noted  in  the  summary  of  .part  second,  we  have  consid- 
ered the  breeds  of  cattle  under  three  heads — dairy,  general-purpose  and 
beef.  Each  of  the  known  families  of  cattle  must  be  classed  under  one 
of  these  divisions,  and  for  whatever  purpose  bred,  will  all  be  subject  to 
the  same  general  principles  of  care  and  handling. 

In  these  days  of  specialists  and  "experts,"  even  the  breeders  of 
stock  have  caught  the  contagion,  and  lines  are  drawn  so  closely  between 
dairy  and  beef  types,  that  it  is  an  absolute  necessity  to  refer  to  some 
intermediate  class  the  many  breeds  which  are  valuable  in  both  extremes, 
but  supreme  in  neither.  Cattle  are  no  longer  chosen  entirely  with  ref- 
erence to  size,  weight  and  rounded  contour ;  but  the  peculiar  qualities 
of  each  animal  are  as  carefully  estimated,  and  for  these  qualities  the 
animal  as  quickly  appropriated  to  satisfy  some  taste  or  special  judg- 
ment, as  any  other  commodity,  subject  to  the  inevitable  law  of  supply 
and  demand.  There  is  ample  room  for  every  improved  breed  of  cattle, 
which  has  been,  or  in  the  future  may  be,  established  ;  and  we  have 
little  patience  with  such  narrow  views  as  prompt  a  breeder  to  decry  all 
other  breeds  but  his.  To  advance  one's  interests  by  setting  forth  the 
good  qualities  of  his  wares  is  perfectly  legitimate;  but  to  attempt  to 
advance  one  breed  by  tearing  down  another  is  pernicious,  and  will 
sooner  or  later  destroy  public  confidence,  not  only  in  the  men,  but  also 
in  the  breed  they  champion  so  unwisely. 

In  deciding  the  question  as  to  which  breed  will  prove  most  profit- 
able, a  man  must  be  governed  largely  by :  (i)  The  natural  conditions 
of  soil  and  climate  ;  (2)  nearness  to  market  or  shipping  facilities  ;  (3) 
the  relative  cost  of  outfits  and  materials  for  carrying  on  the  different 
lines  of  work ;  (4)  the  cost  and  scarcity  or  abundance  of  competent 
labor;  (5)  the  probabilities  of  fluctuation  in  market  value,  or  the  rela- 
tive cost  of  holding  over  to  meet  a  more  favorable  market ;  and  (6),  most 
important  of  all,  the  peculiar  fitness  of  the  man,  either  by  natural 
ability,  taste  or  education,  for  one  of  the  special  lines  of  work  to  which 
the  various  breeds  are  severally  adapted. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  how  impracticable  it  is  to  give  advice  on  selec- 
tion of  the  "best"  breed,  and  how  utterly  worthless  such  advice  must  be 

223 


224          HINTS     ON     SELECTION,     CARE     AND     MANAGEMENT     OF     CATTLE. 

unless  given  with  intimate  knowledge  of  all  the  peculiar  conditions  we 
have  mentioned,  and  many  others  which  will  doubtless  occur  to  the 
thinking  reader.  There  are,  however,  certain  points  which  may  be  given 
as  an  aid  to  individual  selection,  and  of  these  we  mention: 

First. — The  animal  should  be  carefully  studied,  with  reference  to 
some  standard  description  of  the  breed  to  which  it  belongs;  such  a  de- 
scription we  have  aimed  to  give  in  each  Chapter  devoted  to  a  breed,  and 
no  animal  should  be  selected  for  breeding  purposes  that  does  not  show, 
in  appearance  or  progeny,  the  dominant  character  of  its  particular  breed. 

Second. — If  a  cow  desired  for  the  dairy,  she  should  have  the  typi- 
cal milk  wedge;  that  is,  as  seen  either  from  above  or  from  the  side,  a  V- 
shaped  outline,  with  the  apex  forward.  The  fore  region  may  be  rather 
light  in  appearance,  but  the  barrel  must  gradually  deepen  to  the  flank, 
joining  the  udder  in  an  almost  continuous  line,  as  though  the  entire  body 
were  a  portion — as  indeed  it  is— of  the  milk  machine.  As  to  shape  and 
appearance  of  the  udder,  breed  characteristics  must  largely  govern,  but 
we  may  say  in  general  that  a  well-formed  udder  should  be  large  only 
when  distended  with  milk;  when  empty  it  should  appear  small,  and  will 
usually  hang  in  loose  folds  or  wrinkles.  As  a  rule,  those  cows  having 
broad  udders  close  up  to  the  body,  but  spreading  well  forward  and  back, 
may  be  expected  to  give  a  good  quantity  of  milk,  while  the  cows  with 
rather  narrow  and  longer  udders — "bottle-shaped" — will  usually  give  a 
better  quality  as  to  butter  content.  The  so-called  milk  veins,  running 
from  the  udder  region  on  either  side  of  the  abdomen  forward,  should  be 
irregular  and  puffy,  rather  than  straight  and  even;  a  rich  yellow  colored 
skin  is  usually  an  excellent  indication  of  value  in  the  butter  line,  and  a 
soft,  glossy  coat,  is  an  invariable  accompaniment  of  health. 

The  escutcheon  or  "milk  mirror,"  consists  of  hair  turned  in  a  re- 
verse direction  from  that  grown  on  other  parts  of  the  body,  and  is  found 
on  the  udder — spreading  forward  and  backward,  and  between  the  thighs, 
covering  a  greater  or  less  surface  according  to  the  milking  capacity  of 
the  animal.  As  previously  stated,  we  shall  not  undertake  a  description 
of  the  various  classes  and  orders  of  escutcheons  outlined  by  Guenon; 
the  system  is  of  sufficient  importance  to  justify  all  the  comment,  favor- 
able and  otherwise,  which  it  has  provoked,  and  we  can  do  no  less  than 
advise  a  careful  study  of  the  subject  before  deciding  as  to  its  practical 
utility.  In  our  own  experience,  we  have  found  the  Guenon  system  of 
much  value.  The  escutcheon  cannot,  in  our  opinion,  be  relied  on  as  the 
only  expression  of  good  or  bad  milking  quality,  but  if  properly  used  in 
connection  with  other  milk  signs  it  furnishes  a  most  valuable  aid  in  the 
selection  of  dairy  stock.  Finally,  and  most  important  of  all,  be  sure 
that  the  animal  has  a  feminine  look;  a  decided  cowy  appearance,  espe- 
cially of  the  head,  not  only  indicates  milking  promise,  but  may  also  be 
accepted  as  a  uniform  sign  of  docility. 


HINTS     ON     SELECTION,     CARE     AND     MANAGEMENT     OF     CATTLE.          225 

The  typical  outline  for  meat  excellence  should  be  sought  in  an  ani- 
mal full  and  even  at  all  points,  but  expecially  well  rounded  at  the  parts 
which  carry  beef  of  highest  price  and  quality.  Animals  which  lay  on  fat 
in  bunches  are  objectionable,  as  are,  also,  those  which  carry  an  immense 
bony  frame— too  large  to  be  ever  fully  loaded.  To  put  the  matter  in  a 
nut-shell:  In  selecting  for  beef,  choose  always  the  animal  which  will 
dress  the  largest  amount  of  high-priced  beef  and  the  least  proportion  of 
low-priced  beef  and  offal.  The  parts  to  be  favored  then,  are:  shoulders, 
fore  ribs,  loins,  haunches  and  hams;  and  the  parts  to  be  curtailed  as 
much  as  possible  are:  head,  neck,  legs  and  belly.  Beef  is  the  end — 
if  not  the  aim — of  all  cattle,  and  on  the  great  ranges  of  the  West,  until 
the  fertile  prairies  are  dotted  with  settlers'  homes,  the  beef  breeds  will 
hold  an  undisputed  sway. 

Third. — Between  these  two  extremes  of  milk  and  beef  stands  the 
general-purpose  animal — the  one  of  all  others  which  must  always  play  a 
prominent  part  in  the  economy  of  thousands  of  small  farms  throughout 
the  United  States.  The  small  farmer  demands  a  cow  which  will  not 
only  furnish  a  fair  quantity  of  milk  and  butter,  but  also  carry  at  the 
same  time  a  frame  of  good  size,  and  show  a  natural  tendency  to  flesh 
when  not  in  milk.  Steers  from  such  cows  make  profitable  feeders,  and 
the  cows  themselves  when  rendered  unfit  for  breeding  by  any  cause,  as 
accident  or  age,  may  be  fed  for  the  butcher  and  turned  into  cash  at 
minimum  loss.  To  select  such  an  animal,  requires  ability  to  discover 
and  appreciate  the  good  points,  when  partially  hidden  by  others  of  per- 
haps equal  worth,  but  opposite  indications.  With  this  perceptive 
ability,  and  a  knowledge  of  the  good  points  of  both  beef  and  dairy 
types,  a  man  will  experience  little  difficulty  in  selecting  cattle  for  any 
desired  purpose. 

Concerning  care  and  management  for  the  herd,  we  are  pleased  to 
present  the  following  letters  from  practical  breeders  in  different  portions 
of  the  United  states  : 

Holstein  -  Friesians, 

"LAKESIDE  FARM,   Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  July  24,  :888. 

*  *  *  *  "  The  methods  of  feeding  and  caring  for  our  stock  are  extremely 
simple.  Calves  are  taken  from  dams  when  a  day  or  two  old  and  fed  for  a  few  weeks, 
new,  full  milk ;  then,  as  the  calf  gets  age  and  strength,  we  take  away  the  full  milk,  and 
in  its  place  give  centrifugally  separated  skim-milk.  We  also  give,  dry,  a  small  amount  of 
ground  oats  and  wheat  bran,  the  amount  of  either  food  depending  on  the  condition  and 
assimilative  powers  of  the  animal.  As  the  animal  develops,  we  add  to  the  amount  of 
dry  and  liquid  food  given,  as  we  think  the  calf  will  digest  and  assimilate  it,  until  it 
reaches  an  age  and  development  that  warrants  taking  the  milk  away  and  supplying  hay 
and  grain.  We  always  leave  a  little  hay  in  manger,  that  the  calf  may  eat  ad  libitum.  In 
summer  we  send  the  females  to  pasture,  and  the  males  are  kept  in  stable,  but  are  given 
frequent  exercise  in  open  air  yards  or  paddocks.  We  commence  using  the  bulls  at 
about  a  year  old.  We  aim  to  breed  the  heifers,  conditions  being  favorable,  when  about 
15  to  16  months  old,  so  that  they  will  calve  after  two  years  old.  As  the  time  approaches 

15 


226          HINTS     ON     SELECTION,     CARE     AND     MANAGEMENT     OF     CATTLE. 

for  calving,  the  heifer  is  put  in  a  box  stall  and  carefully  watched,  and  during  calving  if 
necessary,  assistance  is  given.  For  the  first  few  days  after  calving,  very  little  grain  food 
is  given,  and  that  largely  bran  ;  then,  as  she  gains  strength,  we  gradually  add  in  quantity 
and  quality  of  grain  food,  the  amount  depending  entirely  on  the  individual  and  its 
powers  of  digestion  and  assimilation,  but  in  a  mixture  of  two  parts  of  wheat  bran  to  one 
of  ground  oats  and  one-fourth  of  one  part  of  oil  meal,  which  is  our  mixture  for  cows, 
where  quantity  of  milk  is  required,  or,  if  feeding  for  butter,  one  part  each  of  corn  meal, 
ground  oats  and  bran,  and  one-fourth  of  one  part  of  oil  meal,  the  amount  per  capita 
would  be  from  4  to  12  pounds  per  day. 

"  Our  milch  cows  are  milked  two  or  three  times  a  day,  as  circumstances  dictate,  and 
are  fed  at  each  milking,  which  is  done  in  the  stable,  grain  feed  being  fed  dry.  In  sum- 
mer, cows  run  in  pasture  ;  they  are  fed  soiling  foods,  such  as  rye,  clover,  oats  or  corn  in 
stable,  when  pastures  are  poor.  In  winter  corn  or  clover  ensilage  is  fed,  with  an  alter- 
nate feeding  of  hay. 

"  The  milk  of  each  cow  is  carefully  weighed  separately,  and  the  amount  set  down  at 
the  time  on  a  blackboard  conveniently  placed,  and  each  day  transferred  to  a  book  made  for 
the  purpose ;  the  milk  is  then  taken  to  the  creamery  where  it  is  thoroughly  strained 
through  a  perforated  tin  strainer  and  four  thicknesses  of  cheese-cloth  into  a  large  tank  ; 
from  there  it  goes  into  a  smaller  tank,  and  thence  into  the  De  Laval  Separator.  The 
skim  or  separated  milk  is  run  into  a  tank,  from  which  it  is  drawn  as  needed.  The 
cream  is  put  in  large  vessels  and  allowed  to  acidify,  and  then  churned  in  a  cubic  churn 
propelled  by  steam  power.  When  the  butter  is  in  the  grain,  the  buttermilk  is  drawn  off, 
and  the  butter  thoroughly  washed  in  clear,  cold  water ;  it  is  then  taken  to  the  butter- 
worker,  and  salt  added,  one  ounce  to  the  pound  of  butter,  then  packed  away  in  a  cold 
room,  and  next  day  taken  out,  worked  and  packed  for  market. 

' '  We  use  no  cotton-seed  meal  or  concentrated  or  highly  stimulating  foods,  nor  any 
drink  other  than  pure  water.  Scrupulous  cleanliness  is  used  in  caring  for  both  calves 
and  cows,  milk  and  butter. 

' '  We  keep  our  service  bulls  in  stalls,  and  fasten  them  with  chain  from  ring  in 
the  nose,  and  also  from  strap  around  the  neck.  They  are  so  placed  as  to  be  able  to  see 
each  other,  and  we  think  this  tends  to  make  them  fearless  of  strangers  and  accustomed  to 
company.  These  bulls  we  feed  very  sparingly  of  grain,  and  give  hay  and  soiling  foods  in 
summer  and  ensilage  in  winter. 

"Yours  truly,  SMITHS,  POWELL  &  LAMB." 

The  above  is  an  excellent  type  of  well-planned,  thorough  system. 
Lakeside  Farm  has  become  very  widely  known  for  the  high  class  of  its 
stock  and  dairy  products,  and  the  success  attained  is  explained  by  the 
above  outline  of  actual  methods  pursued. 

Jerseys. 

MANOR,  Tex.,  July  16,   1888. 

•  •  *  *  *  *  My  stock  run  in  pasture  in  all  except  the  very  severest 
weather.  Young  things  by  themselves  until  old  enough  to  breed,  when  they  are  turned 
into  the  large  pasture  with  the  others.  The  time  of  their  breeding  is  noted.  Unless  in 
thin  order,  no  feed  is  given  to  heifers  or  dry  cows  in  the  grass  season.  Cows  giving  milk 
are  fed  all  the  time  on  cotton-seed,  shelled  oats  and  crushed  corn  and  cob  meal,  with  hay 
or  corn  fodder  as  I  happen  to  have.  If  a  cow  is  to  drop  calf  in  winter,  she  is  carefully 
watched,  and  stabled  in  roomy  box  stall  well  littered.  If  the  weather  is  mild,  she  is  left 
in  pasture.  (No  mules  in  pasture).  As  soon  as  the  calf  is  dropped,  the  cow  is  milked  out 
clean. 

"  The  calf  is  allowed  to  suck  until  it  is  three  or    four   days   old,  when  it  is  removed 


HINTS     ON     SELECTION,     CARE     AND     MANAGEMENT     OF     CATTLE.          227 

and  afterwards  never  allowed  to  suck,  but  fed  on  whole  milk  fresh  from  the  cow  till  it  is 
four  to  six  weeks  old,  when  sweet  skim  milk  is  gradually  substituted.  At  first  the  skim 
milk  is  slightly  warmed,  but  afterwards,  unless  in  exceeding  cold  weather,  no  warming  is 
done.  I  have  never  had  a  case  of  milk  fever  or  other  trouble  about  calving,  nor  do  my 
calves  ever  suffer  from  scours.  If  an  animal  appears  constipated,  a  dose  of  salts  or  'liver 
regulator'  is  given,  but  I  doctor  very  little.  In  bad  weather  everything  is  sheltered  and 
fed,  the  main  food  for  everything  being  cotton-seed.  In  fact,  except  to  cows  in  milk, 
cotton-seed,  with  access  to  straw  stack  and  pasture,  is  the  only  feed. 

"  I  have  lost  a  few  head  from  Black  Leg,  but  believe  it  can  be  prevented — not  cured 
if  it  is  very  far  advanced.  When  an  animal  dies,  all  the  young  and  susceptible  animals 
are  at  once  given  a  mild  cathartic  and  antiseptic.  Have  used  copperas,  tablespoonful, 
with  about  as  much  of  the  dry  powder  Simmons'  Liver  Regulator,  or  one  level  teaspoon- 
ful  salicylic  acid  and  heaping  teaspoonful  of  sulphite  of  soda  ;  in  either  case,  the  dose  is 
repeated  for  two  or  three  days.  I  have  stopped  three  outbreaks — losing  none  after 
beginning  treatment. 

"  In  short,  I  follow  nature  as  nearly  as  I  can,  depending  on  grass,  good  water  and  pure 
air  for  all.  For  about  three  months,  stable  ;  remainder  of  time  in  open  lots  ;  calves  on 
grass  from  two  weeks  old.  Very  truly,  &c.,  L.  B.  GILES." 

The  above  gives  an  idea  of  how  the  dairy  herd  is  handled  where 
cotton-seed  is  the  main  or  staple  food.  While  we  are  not  of  opinion 
that  cotton-seed  is  the  best  food  for  cows  in  milk,  yet  there  is  no  doubt 
that  it  and  its  product  after  extraction  of  the  oil — cotton-seed  meal — 
are  the  most  valuable  concentrated  food-stuffs  which  the  Southern  dairy- 
man can  command.  Fairly  good — even  excellent — butter  is  made  from 
the  milk  of  cows  fed  largely  on  cotton-seed  meal,  but  its  best  effect  is 
had  when  combined  in  smaller  proportions  with  food-stuffs  less  rich  in 
protein.  Mr.  Giles  has  certainly  made  an  excellent  showing  in  way  of 
handling  calves ;  there  are  few  herds  where  calves  are  reared  by  hand 
that  do  not  occasionally  suffer  from  attacks  of  the  scours,  and  Mr.  Giles' 
success  in  this  respect  is  probably  due  to  the  fact  that  he  makes  accurate 
note  of  the  animal's  condition  from  the  time  it  is  born. 

Devons. 

NASHVILLE,  TENN.,  July  19,  1888. 

"*  *  *  *  As  a  breeder  of  Devons,  having  as  the  principal  object  in 
view  the  sale  of  young  animals,  it  is  necessary  first  that  there  should  be  absolute  purity 
of  blood  ;  this  is  secured  by  starting  with  pure  bred  cows  and  bulls,  and  as  the  bull  is  by 
much  the  largest  part  of  the  herd,  extraordinary  care  is  taken  in  his  selection.  No  bull 
in  my  herd  is  inbred  to  his  own  calves,  and  although  I  do  not  part  with  a  bull  which  I 
consider  good,  when  his  heifers  come  of  age  to  be  bred,  another  bull  of  different  strain  is 
bought  to  serve  them.  My  heifers  are  bred  not  under  two  years  old,  and  are  placed  with 
the  bull  in  the  month  of  July,  so  that  the  first  calf  of  the  heifer  will  be  dropped  in  April 
or  May,  thus  giving  an  opportunity  for  the  udder  to  be  expanded  by  the  spring  grazing. 
Of  16  heifers  being  bred  this  season,  the  youngest  was  dropped  2nd  September,  1886,  so 
that  the  youngest  heifer  will  be  at  least  31  months  old  at  calving,  and  most  of  them  three 
years  old.  My  object  in  this  is  to  give  stamina  and  constitution,  both  to  the  cows  and 
their  progeny,  which  I  think  are  greatly  impaired  by  the  very  early  breeding  practiced  by 
some  breeders,  in  the  great  desire  to  get  quick  returns.  After  the  first  calf  is  dropped,  I 
do  not  consider  it  of  much  importance  in  our  climate  at  what  season  the  calf  comes,  so 


228          HINTS     ON     SELECTION,     CARE     AND     MANAGEMENT     OF     CATTLE. 

my  bull  runs  with  the  herd  of  milk  cows  all  the  time,  and  calves  are  being  dropped  by  my 
cows  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  the  time  between  calves  running  from  10  to  12  months. 

"The bull  is  driven  to  the  cow-house  regularly  every  night  with  the  milk  cows,  and 
in  my  experience  of  twelve  years  as  a  breeder  of  Devons,  buying  a  new  bull  about  every 
two  years,  I  have  never  had  a  vicious  bull.  This  may  be  attributed  in  part  to  the  docility 
of  the  breed,  but  I  think  it  also  partly  attributable  to  the  manner  in  which  they  are  kept. 
All  of  my  cows  (twin  calves  or  some  rare  cases  excepted)  are  milked  night  and  morning 
in  order  to  protect  and  develop  the  milking  habit,  but  not  enough  is  taken  from  them  to 
stint  the  calves,  who  finish  the  job  and  take  what  the  milkman  has  left,  and  no  great  com- 
plaint is  made  about  the  quantity  of  the  milk  which  goes  to  the  dairy  so  long  as  the  calves 
are  fat. 

"Calves  are  turned  out  to  pasture  every  morning,  and  when  weaned  at  six  to  eight 
months  old,  are  put  upon  pasture.  During  the  winter  months  the  weaned  calves  have  as 
much  hay — red-top,  timothy  or  clover  — as  they  can  eat,  and  once  each  day  are  fed  with 
grain  (cornmeal,  coarsely  ground)  enough  to  keep  them  in  good  condition,  Cows  are 
milked  in  the  cow-house  in  stall,  with  rope  halter  fastened  around  the  neck,  and  are  fed 
every  time  they  are  milked — during  the  summer  very  lightly,  just  a  little  being  put  in 
their  troughs  to  keep  them  quiet ;  but  in  winter,  all  the  finely-cut  hay  they  can  eat,  and 
coarsely  ground  cornmeal  as  a  grain  ration.  Except  in  extremely  severe  weather  in  win- 
ter, cows  are  turned  out  every  day  and  night.  Loose  boxes  about  10x20  feet  are  provided 
for  cows  which  calve  in  the  winter,  and  in  summer  small  pastures  near  by,  in  which  cows 
are  put  a  few  days  before  calving.  Such  is  my  system  ;  the  result  :  gentle  bulls,  healthy 
cows,  breeding  regularly  up  to  the  age  of  18  or  20  years,  and  healthy  calves,  kept  easily 
all  the  time  in  good  growing  condition,  but  never  pampered  until  they  look  fat  enough 
for  prize  beef.  Truly, 

"EDWARD  D.   HICKS  " 

Mr.  Hicks  knows  how  to  handle  Devons  for  profit.  His  plan  of 
letting  the  bull  run  with  the  cows  is  one  which  must  be  carefully  regu- 
lated as  to  number  of  cows  admitted  if  the  sire  is  to  be  kept  in  prime 
breeding  shape  ;  but,  when  so  managed,  is  very  satisfactory.  It  is  the 
practice  usually  adopted  by  all  breeders  of  range  stock,  certainly  tends 
to'  render  the  bull  more  easily  subject  to  control,  and  cannot  fail  to  find 
plenty  of  advocates.  His  method  of  rearing  calves  will  make  fine  beef 
animals,  but,  if  continually  practiced — one  generation  after  another — 
will  surely  tend  to  destroy  whatever  capacity  for  large  milk  yield  a  breed 
may  have  originally  possessed.  As  we  have  stated — "  Nature  "  is  all  right 
in  her  way,  but  a  considerable  amount  of  "Art"  has  always  been  re- 
quired to  increase  the  dairy  excellence  of  any  breed.  His  practice  is 
correct,  inasmuch  as  it  fills  the  demand  for  beauty  of  form,  fattening 
propensity,  and  early  maturity  which  a  majority  of  Devon  purchasers 
have  created  ;  but  we  confess  to  a  feeling  of  disappointment  that  the 
Devon  breed  is  not  more  strongly  stimulated  to  bring  into  greater 
prominence  its  inherent  dairy  worth. 

Red-Polled  and  Shorthorn   Grades. 

"TEMPLE,  TEXAS  August  20,  1888. 
*         *         *        * 

"  I  begin  with  calves  ;  pen  everything  each  night ;  keep  plenty  of  salt  in  the  lot  at 
all  times;  throw  them  a  batch  of  shucks  or  cut  corn — all  of  which  has  a  tendency  to 
make  them  gentle  and  docile.  I  breed  them  young,  let  the  calves  come  at  24  and  30  months 


HINTS     ON     SELECTION,     CARE     AND     MANAGEMENT     OF     CATTLE.          22Q 

old,  then  feed  well.  I  think  that  makes  better  milkers.  It  has,  however,  a  tendency  to 
dwarf  the  heifer — she  never  gets  so  large  when  so  treated.  My  cattle  are  all  'muleys.' 
I  can  feed  twelve  head  in  a  i2-foot  trough  and  not  crowd  them.  I  use  young  bulls  a  little 
at  one  year  old— say  ten  cows  that  year.  I  keep  my  bull  up  in  day-time  with  calves  all 
the  spring,  and  turn  him  out  at  night  ;  it  makes  him  much  gentler  and  more  docile.  I 
keep  a  ring  in  each  bull's  nose  after  one  year  old.  I  dehorn  when  calves,  if  they  have 
horns  at  birth.  I  feed  milk  cows  the  year  round — it  pays.  I  use  salt,  sulphur  and  lime 
for  my  cattle;  don't  allow  the  ticks  to  accumulate  on  them.  I  have  my  cows  milked  at 
6  A.  M.  and  6  P.  M.,  as  near  as  I  can.  I  keep  about  20  to  25  head  of  cattle,  which  are 
penned  where  the  rain  carries  the  washings  from  the  pen  on  to  the  farm,  hence  the  liquid 
manure  is  saved  on  the  land  without  much  work. 

"Yours  truly,  W.A.CLARK." 

Mr.  Clark  is  a  Texas  farmer  who  has  found  money  in  the  dairy  busi- 
ness. He  believes  in  dehorning,  but  thinks  they  should  always  be  re- 
moved when  the  animal  is  very  young. 

American  Holder-ness. 

In  answer  to  our  request  for  statement  as  to  methods  practiced  by 
him,  Mr.  T.  A.  Cole,  of  Solsville,  Madison  county,  N.  Y. ,  originator  of 
the  American  Holderness  breed,  sends  a  very  interesting  "write  up," 
clipped  from  the  New  York  (  Weekly)  Sun.  We  make  the  following  ex- 
tract: 

"REARING  CALVES. — As  may  be  inferred,  nearly  all  the  calves  are  raised,  and  this 
is  done  in  addition  to  the  average  annual  yield  per  cow  of  300  pounds  of  butter.  At  first 
they  are  fed  exclusively  on  new  milk,  but  gradually  skimmed  milk  is  added  and  the  new 
milk  is  diminished,  until,  at  the  end  of  three  or  four  weeks,  nothing  but  skimmed  milk  is 
fed.  To  make  up  for  the  loss  of  cream,  a  little  dry  oil-meal  is  given  them  daily  to  lick. 
They  are  all  shut  up  together  on  a  floor  24x36  feet,  which  has  been  littered  with  the  cobs 
from  500  or  600  bushels  of  corn.  On  these  they  caper  and  lie,  the  cobs  absorbing  all 
droppings,  and  the  action  of  the  calves  keeping  the  cobs  stirred  up  and  clean.  On  these 
they  are  kept  out  of  storm  and  sun  until  the  room  is  wanted  for  storing  hay.  Then  they 
are  turned  out  to  grass,  but  are  given  their  sour  milk  rations  until  about  the  ist  of  Octo- 
ber. After  this  the  sour  milk,  not  wanted  for  the  few  pigs  intended  for  the  family  pork,  is 
given  to  the  cows.  The  horses,  all  summer  long,  receive  regularly  a  ration  of  buttermilk, 
which  they  appear  to  relish  exceedingly.  Care  is  taken  that  young  animals  shall  continue 
in  a  healthy,  thriving  condition,  but  they  are  not  permitted  to  become  excessively  fat, 
lest  they  acquire  a  tendency  to  put  on  fat  rather  than  expend  their  energies  in  filling  the 
milk  pail.  By  in-breeding  and  this  care,  the  cows  are  all  remarkably  uniform  in  their 
milk-producing  qualities,  both  as  to  quantity  and  richness.  Mr.  Cole  says  this  uniformity 
extends  to  the  raising  of  the  cream,  and  the  time  required  to  churn  it — one  cow's  milk 
being  as  like  another's  as  one-half  a  mess  is  like  the  other  half.  So  completely  does  all 
the  butter  come  at  the  same  time,  that  he  has  tried  in  vain  to  get  an  additional  yield  of 
butter  by  churning  the  buttermilk.  The  separation  appears  to  be  complete  at  the  end 
of  the  first  churning. " 

The  main  point  which  we  wish  to  mention  in  the  practice  of  Mr. 
Cole,  is  the  one  of  allowing  the  calves  to  bed  on  corn  cobs.  The  idea 
is  a  good  one,  and  if  put  in  general  practice  among  Western  farmers 
would  soon  do  away  with  the  unhealthy  odors  too  frequently  found  in 
the  calf-pen.  His  practice  of  feeding  back  to  the  cows  the  surplus 
skim  product  from  the  dairy  is  rapidly  growing  in  favor,  and  is  giving 
excellent  results. 


230          HINTS     ON     SELECTION,     CARE     AND     MANAGEMENT     OF     CATTLE. 

Shorthorns. 

"CENTRE  GROVE  FARM,   DURANT,  IOWA,  July  28,  iSSS. 
*        *         *        * 

"We  are  breeding  Shorthorns  for  both  milk  and  beef,  so  our  methods  may  differ 
from  those  who  bred  exclusively  for  beef  or  exclusively  for  milk.  Every  breed  has  its 
office,  and  we  believe  the  milking  Shorthorn  must  fill  a  large  demand  made  by  the 
general  farmer,  who  wants  a  good  milch  cow  that  will  raise  a  good,  easy-keeping,  early 
maturing  steer.  To  fill  this  now  rapidly  increasing  demand,  we  are  breeding  and  feeding 
the  noble  'Red,  White  and  Roan,'  and  the  following  are  our  methods  : 

"  We  keep  our  bulls  in  a  separate  pasture  by  themselves,  where,  if  possible,  no  cows 
will  be  near  them.  Mature  bulls  will  keep  in  good  order  on  grass  alone  ;  growing  bulls 
get  a  light  ration  of  oats  and  bran  twice  a  day.  The  breeding  bulls  get  lots  of  exercise, 
even  in  winter,  when  they  are  turned  out  in  tight  yards  on  fine  days.  Ours  are  now  tied 
in  stalls  at  night,  but  we  think  running  loose  in  box  stalls  would  be  preferable. 

"  Heifers,  cows  and  calves  are  run  in  separate  pastures  as  much  as'possible.  Pas- 
tures are  of  mixed  grasses,  blue  grass  predominating.  Water  and  plenty  of  shade  com- 
plete the  outfit,  and  for  eight  months  of  the  year  the  cow  is  content.  Green  fodder, 
however,  is  sometimes  given  during  August ;  this  is  relished  as  a  change.  Pumpkins  are 
also  thrown  to  them  during  this  dry  time.  Rock  salt  in  each  pasture  affords  them  a  sure 
supply  of  that  necessity. 

"Cows  are  mated  at  the  first  'heat'  after  the  calf  is  dropped,  unless  in  thin  flesh, 
when  more  time  is  given.  The  first  heat  is  surest  to  'hold'.  Heifers  are  bred  at  from 
18  to  20  months,  according  to  size  and  flesh.  If  getting  too  fat,  we  breed  them 
younger,  as  excessive  fat  in  a  heifer  is  liable  to  produce  barrenness.  We  try  to 
prevent  calves  coming  in  July,  August,  January  and  February. 

"  Pregnant  cows  are  handled  much  the  same  as  the  other  cows.  The  calf  should  be 
weaned  when  its  dam  is  five  or  six  months  pregnant,  and  the  cow  should  be  milked  awhile 
and  then  dried  off.  The  remaining  three  months  of  rest  should  enable  the  cow  to  put  on 
flesh,  and  gain  strength  for  the  coming  calf.  If  necessary,  such  cows  are  fed  extra  to 
produce  this  condition.  We  expect  the  calf  on  or  about  the  28oth  day,  but  watch  closely 
from  the  27oth  day.  If  on  grass,  keeping  confined  on  light,  loose  food  (bran  and  oil- 
meal,  &c.,)  for  a  week  or  more  before  and  after  calving,  to  prevent  milk-fever,  and  to 
be  present  at  parturition  and  save  the  calf.  Great  care  is  exercised  to  prevent  pregnant 
cows  from  being  chased  by  dogs,  gored  by  other  cattle,  wading  through  deep  mud,  or 
eating  mouldy  or  ergotized  fodder.  Sometimes  feed  a  little  flaxseed  about  the  2yoth  day, 
to  help  her  'clean'  well. 

"When  a  cow  begins  to  show  signs  of  calving,  the  attendant  stays  near  until  all  is 
safe,  usually  in  the  box  stall  with  her.  Some  say  that  the  cow  prefers  to  be  alone,  but  I 
think  our  cows  like  to  have  me  there  ;  they  know  I  am  there  to  help  them.  *  * 
As  soon  as  the  calf  is  delivered,  I  leave  the  cow  and  calf  alone  for  a  time,  then  feed  her 
bran  mashes  (warm)  and  give  tepid  water.  The  cow  is  then  milked  three  times  a  day 
for  a  few  days,  and  twice  a  day  for  a  few  weeks  (or  months)  till  the  calf  can  take  all  and 
not  physic  him. 

"If  the  calf  sucks  and  his  bowels  move  once  during  the  first  six  hours,  he  is  fairly 
started  on  the  road  to  market.  We  allow  him  to  stay  in  a  stall  with  his  dam  for  a  few 
days,  and  after  that  they  are  together  only  at  night.  During  the  daytime  he  plays  %vith 
his  mates,  and  early  learns  to  eat  oats,  which  are  placed  within  his  reach.  This  feeding 
is  continued  during  the  first  year,  and  sometimes  the  second  winter  also.  Calves  run  in  a 
separate  lot  during  the  day,  and  after  the  cows  have  been  partly  milked  the  calves  are 
put  with  them. 

"  At  a  very  early  age  (two  to  four  months'),  the  bull  calves  are  taken  from  among  the 
heifers  and  placed  in  another  lot.  They  are  all  weaned  at  from  six  to  twelve  months,  ac- 


HINTS     ON     SELECTION,     CARE     AND     MANAGEMENT     OF     CATTLE.          231 

cording  to  the  condition  of  the  calf  and  cow,  and  the  state  of  succeeding  pregnancy. 
After  the  first  year  we  expect  them  to  keep  in  good  condition  on  grass  alone  ;  many  will 
be  ready  for  market  at  any  time. 

"Our  grain  ration  for  young  stock  bulls  and  suckling  cows  is  three  parts  of  oats, 
three  of  bran,  three  of  corn  and  one  of  oil  meal.  This  is  varied  very  much,  however,  to 
suit  the  animal  and  the  season.  We  very  seldom  feed  corn  alone ;  often  feed  oats  alone. 
Raise  a  few  wurtzels  to  feed  in  winter  as  a  change.  Some  corn-fodder  is  cut  in  early 
September  and  fed,  ears  and  all,  during  cold  snaps,  besides  the  regular  hay  diet  of  stock 
cattle.  Fine  blue  grass  pastures  are  allowed  to  grow  during  the  fall  months,  affording 
much  nutritious  food  for  stock  during  the  warm  winter  days,  when  there  is  no  snow. 

"  Such  are  about  the  methods  now  in  use  at  Centre  Grove  Farm.  Of  course,  some- 
thing is  learned  each  year  to  cause  us  to  make  some  slight  changes.  When  changes  are 
made,  however,  we  hope  they  are  for  the  better. 

"  C.  W.  NORTON  &  SON,  per  OAK. " 

We  should  like  to  make  a  great  many  comments — mostly  favorable 
— on  the  above,  but  space  forbids  mention  of  more  than  the  main  points 
suggested  by  the  outline  given.  Our  friend  "Oak"  is  right — there  is 
no  doubt  that  the  cows  like  to  have  him  around  at  the  "labor  "  period  ; 
kindness  to  the  brute  creation  is  never  thrown  away,  and  cows  brought 
up  under  such  careful  treatment  as  that  pursued  at  Centre  Grove  Farm 
always  crave  and  appreciate  the  attention  given.  The  practice  of  sepa- 
rating the  bull  calves  from  the  heifers  at  an  early  age  should  be  em- 
phasized—  and  the  hints  on  breeding  cows  and  heifers  will  bear  reading 
twice.  If  they  are  breeding  for  both  milk  and  beef,  as  noted,  it  is  pre- 
sumed that  the  calves  are  not  allowed  to  do  all  the  milking — and  at  ir- 
regular intervals,  although  it  is  not  so  stated — otherwise  we  should  think 
the  tendency  would  be  more  toward  beef. 

Another  point  we  may  notice  briefly  is  the  practice  of  keeping  the 
bull  entirely  away  from  the  cows  except  at  time  of  immediate  service. 
There  is  no  doubt  that — if  mental  condition  at  time  of  coupling  has  and 
effect  on  the  offspring — that  effect  will  be  more  strongly  marked  by  such 
practice.  We  have  tried  both  plans,  and  while  many  are  in  favor  of 
permitting  the  cows  and  bulls  to  run  at  farthest  in  adjoining  pastures, 
we  believe — if  separated  at  all — the  separation  should  be  complete.  The 
only  question  that  can  be  raised  is  one  of  disposition;  it  has  been  stated 
that  bulls  kept  in  sight  of  cows  will  be  more  easily  managed,  but  in  our 
own  experience  the  reverse  has  been  true,  and  we  are  pretty  well  satisfied 
that  to  keep  a  bull  in  good  temper,  he  must  either  run  with  the  cows 
and  be  handled  with  them,  or  be  kept  entirely  separate  except  at  time  of 
service. 

[On  Saturday,  September  21,  1889,  Oak  G.  Norton  died  at  his 
home,  after  a  short  period  of  intense  suffering,  from  inflammation  of  the 
bowels.  A  young  man's  death  is  always  sad,  yet  doubly  so  when  he  is 
blessed  with  such  abundant  power  for  good  as  rested  in  our  strong  young 
friend.  Young  as  he  was,  his  name  was  known  throughout  the  West  as 
that  of  a  rising  breeder  of  more  than  usual  public  and  private  worth, 


232          HINTS     ON     SELECTION,     CARE     AND     MANAGEMENT     OK     CATTLE. 

and  in  his  death,  while  we  have  lost  a  friend  in  whom  we  had  the  utmost 
confidence,  the  world  has  lost  much  more — an  honest,  able  man.] 

Holstein-Friesians. 

'•WESTBURG  FARM,   JESUP,  IA.  ,  August  29,  1888. 
*         *        *        * 

"  As  to  age  of  breeding,  my  practice  at  the  outset  was  to  breed  so  that  each  heifer 
would  have  her  first  calf  at  or  near  the  age  of  three  years.  My  own  observations,  and 
the  milk  records  I  have  taken  for  five  years,  have  not  yet  been  sufficiently  numerous  to 
enable  me  to  decide  definitely.  As  to  diminishing  size  by  early  breeding,  I  can  only  say 
that  I  have  heifers  which  calved  at  two  and  two  and  one-quarter  years,  as  large  as  those 
that  calved  at  three  and  three  and  one-quarter  years.  As  to  milk  flow,  I  am  inclined  to 
think  early  breeding  is  preferable.  I  prefer  to  breed  as  nearly  as  possible  in  December, 
January  and  February;  just  as  good  (if  not  better)  calves  can  be  raised  in  a  warm  barn 
through  the  winter  as  in  summer.  Milk  being  worth  more  in  November,  December,  Jan- 
uary and  February,  I  find  it  more  profitable  to  have  them  come  at  this  time  ;  in  summer, 
milk  is  worth  45  to  60  cents  per  100  Ibs.,  and  in  winter  85  cents  to  $1.10  per  100  Ibs. 
I  avoid  having  cows  come  in  during  warm  weather,  as  I  think  them  more  liable  to  have 
parturient  apoplexy. 

' '  I  have  practiced  various  ways  of  rearing  calves  ;  have  seen  little  or  no  difference 
in  size  and  constitution  between  feeding  calves  the  fresh  milk  three  times  per  day  until 
they  are  six  weeks  old,  and  in  allowing  them  to  suck  the  cow  to  this  time.  My  general 
practice  is  to  allow  them  to  suck  at  least  seven  or  eight  times.  I  have  never  taken  a  calf 
from  the  cow  as  soon  as  dropped.  As  far  as  milk  flow  and  size  are  concerned,  I  am 
prepared  to  believe  that  calves  reared  on  sweet  skim-milk  and  oats  for  a  time  after  they 
are  four  to  six  weeks  old,  make  just  as  good  cows  as  those  allowed  fresh  milk  for  six 
months.  I  think  that  calves  allowed  to  suck  the  cow  for  say  five  or  six  months,  develop 
a  habit  of  laying  on  fat,  and  do  not  generally  make  as  valuable  cows  for  milk  on  that 
account. 

"  My  practice,  in  summer  feeding  of  cows  has  been  to  give  a  small  allowance  of  bran 
— say  one  to  one  and  a-half  Ibs.  at  a  feed — even  while  the  pasture  was  good.  It  saves 
much  of  the  labor  in  driving  from  the  pasture,  aside  from  contributing  to  the  volume  of 
the  manure  ;  it  saves  also  time  and  muscle  necessary  in  driving  them  in  the  barn  prior  to 
milking.  For  winter  feeding,  I  aim  to  mix  50  Ibs.  of  bran  with  64  Ibs.  of  ground  oats  and 
56  Ibs.  of  ground  corn.  Of  this  mixture  I  approximate  the  needs  of  different  cows  ;  have 
fed  as  high  as  24  Ibs.  per  day  to  a  cow  weighing  1,200  Ibs.,  and  giving  65  to  67  Ibs.  milk 
per  day  ;  have  fed  five  to  six  Ibs.  at  a  feed  to  cows  giving  30  to  35  Ibs.  per  day.  Have 
practiced  mixing  this  ground  feed  on  a  small  allowance  of  wet  cut  hay,  and  am  confident, 
from  the  appearance  of  the  excrement,  that  a  great  benefit  resulted  from  this  practice. 

"  I  think  that,  as  a  general  thing,  twice  a  day  is  sufficient  for  milking.  I  have  milked 
several  cows  that  gave  large  messes  three  times  a  day,  for  at  least  one  month  after 
calving,  and  afterwards  twice  a  day.  Larger  milk  records  can  be  made,  of  course,  by 
milking  three  times  a  day  throughout  the  year.  A  fresh  cow,  especially,  should  be 
milked  quite  regularly,  while  a  cow  that  has  given  milk  six  months  will  not  be  affected 
very  much  by  a  little  delay  in  milking.  I  aim  to  milk  all  cows  regularly.  When  at  the 
height  of  their  flow  in  summer,  I  think  they  ought  to  be  milked  about  5  A.  M.  and  4:30  P. 
M.  A  heavy  milker  usually  secretes  the  most  milk  from  morning  to  night. 

"  I  have  practiced  selling  milk  to  creameries  by  the  100  Ibs.,  receiving  back  at  differ- 
ent times,  the  set  skim  and  the  separated  skim-milk  ;  have  also  set  the  milk  at  home  in  ice 
water,  at  40  to  45  degrees  Fahrenheit,  for  12  hours,  and  sold  the  unsalted  butter.  As  to 
separated  skim-milk  from  creameries,  that  require  the  milk  hauled  but  once  a  day,  I  have 
decided  to  my  satisfaction  that  it  is  much  less  profitable  than  set  skim-milk,  either  36 


HINTS  OX  SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  CATTLE.    233 

hours  or  12  hours  old — just  the  relative  difference  I  am  not  aware  has  ever  been  settled. 
Calves  fed  on  separated  skim-milk,  reared  in  this  vicinity,  are  certainly  not  so  thrifty  and 
large  as  those  raised  a  few  years  ago  on  set  skim-milk. 

' '  There  is  very  great  difference  of  opinion  among  men  as  to  keeping  cows  in  the  barn 
during  winter.  My  practice  is  to  keep  them  in  during  all  snow  storms  and  blizzards,  and 
all  days  when  the  thermometer  is  at  zero  or  below.  I  turn  them  out  two  or  three  times  a 
day  for  water,  and  as  soon  as  they  are  through  drinking  put  them  back — cleaning  out  the 
stables  while  they  are  in.  The  temperature  should  be  above  32  degrees  Fahrenheit, 
when  the  cattle  are  in  the  barn.  Truly  yours, 

"J.   N.   MUNCEY" 

Mr.  Muncey  is  one  of  our  careful,  accurate  breeders,  well  qualified 
by  taste  and  an  extended  education  to  solve  some  of  the  actual  problems 
of  the  day.  The  point  he  mentions  (difference  in  feeding  value  between 
"set-skim" — the  skim-milk  left  when  cream  is  removed,  after  setting 
milk  away  for  a  number  of  hours — and  "separated  skim-milk" — the 
product  from  centrifugal  cream  separators)  is  one  of  considerable  in- 
terest. In  the  South,  especially,  the  centrifugal  process  is  of  peculiar 
value,  saving  ice — a  costly  commodity — by  reason  of  greatly  decreased 
bulk  in  handling;  and  if,  as  Mr.  Muncey  suggests,  the  skim  product 
from  the  machine  is  inferior  to  that  from  the  set  milk,  some  way  must 
be  found  to  remedy  the  defect.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  later  experiments 
have  shown  that  the  addition  of  a  small  quantity  of  flaxseed  tea,  or  oil 
meal  gruel,  to  the  separated  skim  milk  effectually  overcomes  the  objec- 
tion mentioned  by  Mr.  Muncey,  and  renders  the  separator  product  as 
valuable  as  the  now  old-fashioned  set-skim  milk  was  ever  claimed  to  be 
for  feeding  calves. 


i,  Nose;  2,  Face;  3,  Fore-lock;  4,  Ears;  5,  Neck;  6,  Shoulders;  7,  Back;  8, 
Rump,  or  Quarter;  g,  Tail;  10,  Ham  or  Thigh;  u,  Dock  of  the  Tail;  12,  Lower 
Thighs,  or  Legs  ;  13,  Hock ;  14,  Shank  or  Hind  Cannon  ;  15,  Onglons,  or  False 
Hoofs  ;  16,  Hoof  or  Foot ;  17,  Flank  ;  18,  Side  ;  19,  Girth,  or  Fore-flank  ;  20,  Knee  ; 
21,  Front  Cannon  ;  22,  Pastern;  23,  Fold,  Dewlap,  or  Throat. 

a,  First  quality  wool,  generally  known  as  "refina"  or  "picklock;  b,  Second 
quality  wool  ;  c.  Third  quality  wool  ;  d,  Fourth  quality  wool,  generally  known 
as  "tags." 


234 


FART    THIRD. 


SHEEP. 

SHORT-WOOLED  BREEDS. 

PAGE 

MERINOS  ..............  Chapter  XLVIII  ........        .....  236 

Atzuoods     ...........  "  .............  241 

Paulars  ............  "  .............  243 

Dickinsons    ..........  .............  246 

Black-Tops    ..........  "  .......    ......  249 

Delaines      ...........  "  ............  250 

HORNED  DORSETS  ..........  "  XLIX.  .    .    ...........  255 

CHEVIOTS    .............  "  L  ..............  257 

MIDDLE-WOO  LED  BREEDS. 

SOUTHDOWNS  .    .    .    .........  Chapter  LI  .....    .........  2fco 

SHROPSHIRES  ............        "  LII  ..............  264 

HAMPSHIRES    ............        "  LIII    ............  267 

OXFORDSHIRES      ..........     .  "  LIV  ..............    271 

LONG-WOOLED  BREEDS. 

COTSWOLDS      ............  Chapter  LV  ..............  274 

LEICESTERS     ............        "  LVI  .............      278 

LlNCOLNS       .............  "  i-VII  ..............  282 


HINTS  ON  SELECTION,  CARE  AND  MANAGEMENT. 
Chapter  LVIII  ................................  286 


235 


Chapter  XL VIII. 


MERINOS. 

Youatt  supposes  the  Merino  sheep  a  derivation  from  the  old  Taren- 
tine  breed  of  Italy.  In  his  book — "Youatt  on  Sheep" —  he  says: 

"  They  were  theTarentine  breed  already  described,  and  which  had  gradually  spread 
from  the  coast  of  Syria  and  the  Black  Sea,  and  have  now  reached  the  western  extremity 
of  Europe.  Many  of  them  mingled  with  and  improved  the  native  breeds  of  Spain,  while 
others  continued  to  exist  as  a  distinct  race,  and,  meeting  with  a  climate  and  herbage  suited 
to  them,  retained  their  original  character  and  value,  and  were  the  progenitors  of  the  Merinos 
of  the  present  day." 

Low  (1842)  says: 

"  Upon  the  whole,  although  authentic  documents  on  the  subject  are  wanting,  there 
is  presumption  that  the  sheep  of  Africa  were  employed  to  perfect  the  sheep  of  Spain  with 
respect  to  the  production  of  wool.  The  Merinos  exhibit  certain  characters  which  seem 
to  show  them  to  have  been  derived  from  some  country  warmer  than  that  in  which  they 
were  naturalized,  and  it  was  during  the  dominion  of  the  African  possessors  of  the  country 
that  the  wool  of  Spain  arrived  at  its  greatest  excellence." 

Stewart  in  his  valuable  work,  "The  Shepherd's  Manual,"  says: 

' '  The  Spanish  Merino  existed  as  a  distinct  race  2,000  years  ago,  and  the  fine  robes  of 
the  Roman  Emperors  were  made  from  the  wool  of  Spanish  flocks.  There  is  no  history 
or  tradition  as  to  their  origin  which  can  be  accepted  as  reasonable  by  any  practical  shep- 
herd. It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  fine-wooled  sheep  which  we  read  of  in  the  an- 
cient histories  were  rather  the  natural  product  of  very  favorable  conditions  of  soil  and 
climate,  by  which  inferior  races  were  greatly  improved,  than  of  any  direct  efforts  to  breed 
them  up  to  a  desired  standard." 

That  the  Tarentine  sheep  were  taken  to  Spain  at  a  very  early  day, 
is  proved  by  the  early  writers;  but  there  is  little  doubt  that  Spain  re- 
ceived, at  the  same  time,  accessions  of  African  blood  from  the  fine-wooled 
flocks  of  the  Barbary  States  on  the  other  side  of  the  Mediterranean. 

Columella  (an  ancient  rural  economist  and  author  of  "  De  Re  Rus- 
tica" — a  copious  treatise  on  agriculture,  in  twelve  parts — who  flourished 
about  A.  D.  20  to  40),  informs  us  that  his  uncle  (of  the  same  name)  took 
with  him  from  Italy  to  Spain  a  considerable  number  of  the  Tarentine 
sheep,  and  that  he  also  secured  some  African  rams  of  singular  beauty 
which  had  been  exhibited  at  Rome. 

Pliny  the  Younger  refers  to  the  "red  fleece  of  Boetica" — an  ancient 
district  of  Spain — in  terms  of  the  highest  praise,  but  as  the  sheep  of  this 
district  have  always  retained  the  "red  fleece"  of  which  he  speaks,  and 
as  they  always  differed,  and  still  differ  materially,  from  the  Merino  breed, 
it  is  hardly  probable  that  these  sheep — supposed  to  be  of  Grecian  nativ- 
ity— had  any  important  place  in  the  immediate  origin  of  the  Merino- 

236 


MERINOS.  237 

To  the  American  breeder  a  close,  accurate  account  of  the  precise 
origin  of  Merino  sheep  would  be  of  considerable  interest ;  unless  some 
as  yet  unfound  history  may  be  discovered,  the  precise  origin  of  the 
Merino  will  remain  a  matter  of  deduction  from  circumstantial  evidence. 
The  Merino  is  certainly  the  oldest  of  surviving  breeds,  and  as  its  authen- 
tic history  is  almost  co-existent  with  the  history  of  Spain,  we  may  for  all 
practical  purposes,  and  without  further  question  as  to  its  remote  ori- 
gin, regard  it  as  a  creation  of  Spanish  breeders,  who  used  the  finest 
sheep  of  Italy  and  Africa,  and  were  further  assisted  in  improving  the 
then  native  flocks  by  the  natural  adaptation  of  Spanish  soil  and  climate 
to  the  rearing  of  fine-wooled  sheep. 

When  the  flocks  of  Spain  first  came  to  be  in  great  demand,  there 
were  found,  then  as  now,  two  classes,  known  respectively  as  "cstantes," 
or  stationary,  and  ' '  transhumantes, "  or  migratory.  The  stationary  flocks 
are  those  which  remain  in  a  certain  district  during  the  year  ;  while  the 
migratory  class,  on  account  of  scarcity  in  food  or  water,  make  bi-yearly 
journeys  in  search  of  fresh  pasture. 

From  the  latter  class — generally  superior — most  of  the  shipments  to 
other  countries  have  been  made. 

The  French  Merino  originated  from  an  importation  of  about  400 
head  of  sheep,  selected  from  the  finest  flocks  of  Spain,  in  1786.  A  few 
had  been  imported  to  France  nearly  a  century  before  this  date  by  Jean 
Baptiste  Colbert,  Minister  of  Finance  to  Louis  XIV.,  but  they  were  not 
appreciated,  and  were  soon  lost  sight  of. 

The  importation  of  400  head,  mentioned  above,  was  made  by  the 
French  government  during  the  reign  of  Louis  XVI.,  and  most  of  the 
sheep  were  placed  on  the  Royal  Farm  at  Rambouillet,  where  their  im- 
provement was  carried  on  with  considerable  success  ;  it  was  from  this 
circumstance  that  they  derived  the  name  "Rambouillet"  sheep,  by 
which  they  have  been  commonly  known,  The  Merinos  under  French 
management  increased  in  size  and  weight  of  fleece,  but  lost  to  some  de- 
gree the  hardiness  of  their  Spanish  parents. 

The  fleece  is  fine — fully  equal  to  Spanish  wool — and  carries  a  much 
smaller  quantity  of  yolk.  This  character,  in  connection  with  their  in- 
creased size,  has  made  them  quite  popular  in  America,  the  small  quan- 
tity of  yolk  rendering  the  fleece  much  less  subject  to  loss  of  weight  in 
washing;  but  the  sheep  have  not  found  sufficient  favor  to  push  out  the 
other  smooth-skinned  mutton  Merinos,  which  we  shall  mention  later  as 
classed  among  the  strictly  American  families.  The  wool  is  fine,  beauti- 
fully crimped,  usually  white  but  sometimes  buff,  very  compact,  and 
opens  in  large  layers. 

The  American  Rambouillet  Sheep  Breeders'  Association  has  been 
organized  and  Vol.  I.  of  the  Record  published.  S.  D.  Parsons,  lona, 
Michigan,  is  the  present  secretary. 


238  MERINOS. 

The  Saxon  Merino  originated  from  a  flock  of  300  Spanish  Merinos 
of  the  Escurial  family,  sent  in  1765,  by  King  Louis  XV.,  to  Saxony,  in 
response  to  the  request  of  his  brother-in-law,  Prince  Xavier.  The  Escu- 
rial family  of  Spanish  Merinos  had  always  been  noted  as  bearing  the 
finest  wool  of  any  in  the  kingdom  ;  and  their  Saxon  breeders  have  care- 
fully preserved  this,  the  only  really  valuable  feature  of  the  breed. 
Saxon  Merinos  require  great  care  and  attention — being  the  least  hardy 
of  any  of  the  modern  Merinos — and,  as  they  yield  an  average  clip  of  not 
over  two  or  three  pounds,  the  higher  price  obtained  for  quality  does  not 
make  up  for  the  marked  deficiency  in  weight  of  fleece. 

The  German  or  Silesian  Merino  is  the  only  one  (except  the  American) 
of  the  Spanish  branches  which  may  be  called  a  success.  It  is  the  direct 
result  of  uniting  the  Infantado  and  Negretti  families  of  Spanish  Merinos, 
and  is  as  purely  Spanish  in  its  nature  as  if  really  Spanish  bred.  The 
original  importation  to  Silesia  was  made  in  1811,  by  Ferdinand  Fischer, 
of  Wirchenblatt.  This  gentleman  selected  in  person  100  Infantado 
ewes  and  four  Negretti  rams,  and  so  carefully  did  he  preserve  the  purity 
of  the  breed  that  the  pedigree  of  every  sheep  since  the  foundation  of 
the  flock  has  been  recorded,  and  no  trace  of  outside  blood  can  be  found. 

Silesian  Merinos  from  Mr.  Fischer's  flock  were  first  imported  to  the 
United  States  about  1850-60,  by  William  Chamberlain,  of  Duchess  Co., 
New  York,  in  all  some  250  head,  and  have  since  obtained  considerable 
favor.  The  wool  is  finer  than  that  of  the  Spanish  Merino,  and  the 
carcass  little  if  any  smaller.  They  mature  slowly,  but  are  said  to  be 
hardy  and  fairly  prolific. 

From  this  brief  account  of  the  Merino  in  other  countries,  we  may 
pass  to  consider  more  in  detail  the  modern  families  which  have  attained 
popularity  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic. 

The  American  Merino. 

The  first  importations  of  pure  Spanish  Merinos  to  the  United  States 
were  soon  lost  sight  of,  through  being  mixed  with  other  blood  ;  but  we 
give  them  in  order,  so  far  as  possible,  as  being  of  interest  to  American 
breeders. 

About  1791  four  Spanish  rams  were  shipped  to  the  United  States, 
and  one  of  them  was  used  in  the  vicinity  of  Wilmington,  Delaware,  until 
1808.  In  1793  Hon.  William  Foster,  of  Boston,  imported  from  Cadiz 
two  Merino  ewes  and  one  ram  ;  these  sheep  were  presented  to  a  friend, 
who,  ignorant  of  their  great  value,  killed  and  ate  them.  (Mr.  Foster, 
it  is  said,  afterwards  caught  this  same  unfortunate  friend  in  the  act  of 
paying  $1,000  for  a  Merino  ram  no  better  than  the  one  he  had  eaten.) 
.  In  1802,  however,  the  first  importation  of  importance  was  made  by 
Col.  David  Humphreys,  of  Derby,  Conn.,  then  Minister  to  Spain,  and 
from  the  flock  then  introduced  the  modern  Atwoods,  Dickinsons  and 
Black-Tops  have  sprung. 


239 


240  MKRINOS. 

Concerning  this  importation  we  quote  from  Vol.  I.  of  the  Atwood 
register  : 

"  Col.  Humphreys  made  a  contract  with  a  gentleman  to  deliver  one  hundred  Spanish 
Merino  sheep  at  Lisbon  Ninety  of  these  arrived  at  Derby,  Conn.,  in  the  spring  of  1802. 
In  reference  to  this  importation  Col.  Humphreys  says,  in  his  miscellaneous  papers : 
'  Convinced  as  I  was  that  this  race  of  sheep,  of  which  I  believe  not  one  had  been  brought 
to  the  United  States  until  the  importation  by  myself,  might  be  introduced  with  great 
benefit  to  our  country,  I  contracted  with  a  person  of  most  respectable  character  to  deliver 
me  at  Lisbon  one  hundred,  composed  of  twenty-five  rams  and  seventy-five  ewes,  from 
one  to  two  years  old.  They  were  conducted  across  the  country  of  Portugal  by  three 
Spanish  shepherds  with  proper  passports,  and  escorted  by  a  small  guard  of  Portuguese 
soldiers.  On  the  loth  of  April  they  were  embarked  from  the  Tagus  on  board  the  ship 
Perseverance,  of  250  tons,  Caleb  Coggeshall,  Master.  In  about  fifty  days  twenty-one 
rams  and  seventy  ewes  were  landed  at  Derby,  Conn.,  they  having  been  shipped  at  New 
York  on  board  a  sloop  destined  to  that  river.  The  nine  that  died  were  principally  killed 
in  consequence  of  bruises  received  by  the  violent  rolling  of  the  vessel  on  the  banks  of 
Newfoundland! ' " 

The  second  importation  of  importance — and  the  one  which,  by  rea- 
son of  its  magnitude,  has  done  most  to  stamp  the  character  of  American 
Merinos — was  made  in  1809-10,  by  William  Jarvis,  of  Vermont,  then 
United  States  Consul  at  Lisbon. 

Stewart  ("  Shepherds'  Manual"),  referring  to  the  Jarvis  importation, 
says: 

"This  consisted  of  3,850  sheep  of  the  flocks  of  Paulars,  Negrettis,  Aquierres  and 
Montarcos  of  Spain.  These  flocks,  consisting  of  50,000  head,  had  been,  for  political 
reasons,  confiscated  and  sold  by  the  Spanish  Government,  with  other  property  of  the 
four  grandees  who  had  owned  them.  Of  the  imported  sheep,  1,500  came  to  New  York, 
1,000  to  Boston,  and  the  remainder  to  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  Alexandria,  Norfolk, 
Richmond,  Portland,  Wiccasset  and  Portsmouth.  Another  shipment  of  2,500  head 
followed  in  1810,  and  were  distributed  between  New  York  and  Boston.  These  sheep 
were  of  the  prime  flocks  of  Spain,  and  Spain's  loss  was  our  gain." 

From  the  importations  made  by  these  two  gentlemen — Col.  Hum- 
phreys and  Mr.  Jarvis — the  American  Merino,  with  its  numerous  sub- 
divisions or  families,  has  arisen. 

From  the  United  States  Merino  Sheep  Register  we  take  the  follow- 
ing authoritative 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

"There  must  be  a  perfectly  authenticated  line  of  ancestry  extending  to  one  or  more 
of  the  importations  of  Merino  sheep  from  Spain,  made  prior  to  1812,  without  admixture 
of  any  other  blood.  The  constitution  is  indicated  by  a  healthful  countenance  ;  expanded 
nostril  ;  short,  strong  neck  ;  deep  chest  ;  round  barrel ;  strong,  short  back  ;  strong  loin ; 
heavy  bone  of  fine  texture  ;  muscle  fine  and  firm,  and  skin  thick,  soft  and  of  a  pink  color. 

"Under  the  term  fleece  must  be  included  quantity,  quality  and  condition  of  the 
wool,  as  shown  by  the  weight  of  fleece,  the  length  and  strength  of  staple,  crimp,  fineness 
and  trueness  of  fibre,  evenness  throughout,  freedom  from  gare,  and  the  fluidity  and 
amount  of  yolk. 

"The  term  covering  includes  the  extent  and  evenness  of  the  fleece  over  the  whole 
body,  legs,  belly,  neck  and  head  ;  the  quality,  lustre,  crimp,  density  and  length  of  wool, 


MERINOS. 


241 


and  the  quantity  and  kind  of  oil  or  yolk.  The  shoulders  should  be  well  placed  ;  back 
broad  ;  quarters  long  and  well  rilled  up ;  head  short  ;  folds  in  the  neck,  elbow,  flank, 
belly,  thighs  and  tail. 

"  Rams  at  full  growth,  in  breeding  condition,  should  weigh  130  Ibs.  or  upwards,  and 
ewes  about  100  Ibs.  The  head  should  be  of  medium  size  ;  muzzle  clear  ;  nose  (or  face) 
covered  with  short,  glossy,  furry  hair  ;  eyes  bright  and  placid  ;  forehead  broad  ;  ears  soft, 
thick  and  set  wide  apart ;  ewes  hornless ;  horns  on  the  ram  well  turned  (set  not  too 
closely  to  the  head  and  neck,  nor  yet  standing  out  too  wide),  and  free  from  black  or  dark 
colored  streaks.  The  neck  should  be  short  on  top  and  long  below  ;  strongly  set  to  the 
head  and  shoulders,  becoming  deeper  toward  the  shoulders ;  folds  heavier  underneath 
and  extending  up  the  sides  of  the  nock,  including  heavy  dewlap  and  apron.  The  legs 
should  be  short,  straight,  well  spread  apart,  and  bone  heavy ;  hoofs  clear  in  color  and 
well  shaped.  General  appearance  should  be  bold  and  vigorous,  with  symmetrical  form, 
and  proper  complexion  of  covering." 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  for  American  Merinos,  should  be 
used  in  connection  with  above : 

Blood      20  Forward 81 

Constitution  .  18      Head 6 

Fleece 13      Neck 5 

Covering 13      Legs  and  Feet 4 

Form ....    9      General  Appearance 4 

Size 8 

Perfection IDC 

Forward 81 

In  the  South,  the  Merinos  are  better  known  than  any  other  breed 
of  sheep  ;  the  fact  of  their  continued  breeding  for  centuries  in  the  hot, 
dry  climate  of  Spain,  and  the  further  fact — or  perhaps  we  should  say 
supposition — of  a  remote  ancestry  from  the  still  warmer  latitude  of 
northern  Africa,  has  fitted  them  especially  for  the  warm,  dry,  elevated 
regions  of  the  Southwest.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  however,  that  the 
Merinos  do  not  come  in  conflict,  in  any  particular,  with  the  heavier 
sheep  of  the  Down  and  Long-wool  tribes.  The  mission  of  the  Merino 
is  to  furnish  wool,  and  that,  too,  of  the  finest  quality ;  and  for  this  pur- 
pose he  stands  admittedly  without  a  rival. 

Of  the  more  prominent  strains  of  Merinos  now  known  in  the 
United  States,  we  have  thought  best  to  give  a  short  account,  in  order 
named,  of  the  Atwoods,  Paulars,  Dickinsons,  Black-Tops  and  Delaines. 
It  will  be  remembered  that  we  are  not  writing  from  the  standpoint  of  a 
biased  or  partisan  breeder ;  our  statements  are  intended  to  do  simple 
justice  to  each,  and  if  we  fail  in  this  the  blame  cannot,  at  least,  be 
imputed  to  any  malicious  purpose  on  the  part  of  the  author. 

The    Atwoods. 

The  origin  of  the  Atwood  family  may  be  given,  in  brief,  by  the  fol- 
lowing quotation  from  Rules  of  Entry  to  the  Register  of  the  Vermont 
Atwood  Merino  Sheep  Club  : 

"  Descendants  of  sheep  purchased  from  Stephen  Atwood,  or  vouched  for  by  him  as 
pure  descendants  of  the  Humphreys  importation,  and  no  other,   may  be  entered  in  the 

16 


242 


MERINOS. 


Register  on  proving  either  ancestral  purchase  from  Stephen  Atwood,  or  their  direct 
descent  through  the  importations  of  W.  S.  and  Edwin  Hammond,  R.  P.  Hall,  W.  R. 
Sanford,  and  C.  B.  Cook  from  his  flock,  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  Executive  Board." 

The  flock  of  Stephen  Atwood  was  founded  in  1813,  when  he  pur- 
chased of  John  Riggs  a  six-year-old  ewe,  raised  by  Col.  Humphreys,  out 
of  one  of  his  imported  ewes.  Mr.  Atwood's  account  of  his  sheep— 
which  is  attested  by  reliable  gentlemen  who  were  familiar  with  them — is 
given  as  follows  in  the  Atwood  Register  : 

"I  bred  the  Riggs  ewe  and  her  progeny  to  rams  I  knew  to  be  of  pure  Humphreys 
blood,  till  1819,"  and  at  that  time  he  states  :  "I  bought  from  the  Leman  Stone  flock, 
that  he  raised  from  Col.  Humphrey's  flock,  five  ewe  lambs  that  I  selected  ;  and  with  these 
five  lambs  and  the  ewe  I  bought  first,  I  have  raised  my  flock  of  sheep." 


PURE-BRED   ATWOOD    MERINO    RAM,   CLINGSTONE   ad,    401. 

Weight  of  third  fleece,  30  Ibs. ;  sold  to  South  America,  1886;  bred  by  GEORGE  HAMMOND, 

Middlebury,  Vt. 

While  Mr.  Atwood  was  fortunate  enough  to  preserve  the  blood  in 
its  original  purity,  to  Edwin  Hammond  belongs  the  credit  for  most  of 
the  great  improvement  which  the  Atwood  sheep  have  undergone.  Mr. 
Hammond  was  born  in  Middlebury,  Vermont,  May  20,  1801,  and  lived 
within  a  short  distance  of  his  birthplace  until  his  death,  December  31, 
1870.  He  was  a  man  of  excellent  judgment,  and  is  placed  by  some  on 
an  equal  footing  with  Bakewell  (of  Leicester  fame)  as  an  improver  of 
sheep.  The  Hammond  sheep  are  directly  descended  from  the  flocks  of 
Stephen  Atwood,  and  thus  it  happens  that  on  proof  of  Hammond  breed- 


MERINOS.  243 

ing,  the  purity  of  blood  is  at  once  accepted,  and  the  animal  admitted  to 
record. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

No  authoritative  scale  of  points  or  standard  description  has  been 
adopted  by  the  club,  but  the  following  points  may  be  stated  in  brief,  as 
distinctive  of  the  Atwood  sheep :  They  are  large,  round-bodied  and 
strong-boned  ;  very  heavy  shearers — a  clip  of  24  or  25  pounds  for  rams 
being  not  uncommon  ;  the  fleece  is  very  dense,  and  although  abundantly 
supplied  with  liquid  yolk  (natural  oil)  it  exhibits  little  tendency  to  crust 
externally  ;  when  parted,  the  wavy  crimps  of  the  wool  may  be  seen  to 
the  very  tips  of  the  fibre,  and  the  coloring  is  a  rich  buff  tint — one  of  the 
points  for  which  Mr.  Hammond  bred  in  particular.  The  skin,  as  will 
be  seen  from  the  illustration,  is  strongly  marked  by  folds  ("wrinkly") 
at  both  neck  and  rump — a  peculiarity  even  more  strongly  marked  in  the 
next  family  (Paulars).  The  sheep  are  hardy,  and  the  rams  have  been 
extensively  used  for  grading  up  the  mixed  flocks  of  Texas,  New  Mexico 
and  Arizona. 

The  Paulars. 

Concerning  the  history  of  the  Paular  Merino  family,  and  its  present 
status,  as  compared  with  the  other  recognized  strains,  we  have  thought 
best  to  give — without  comment — the  views  of  the  acknowledged  leader 
among  Paular  breeders  in  America,  Mr.  Jno.  P.  Ray,  Hemlock  Lake, 
N.  Y.  We  have  decided  upon  this  course  for  several  reasons,  chief 
among  which  stands  the  fact  that  Mr.  Ray  is  known  to  be  a  careful 
breeder,  and,  although  undoubtedly  somewhat  partisan  in  his  views,  a 
thorough  student  of  all  literature  bearing  upon  the  history  of  sheep. 

Replying  to  our  request,  he  writes  as  follows  : 

' '  Probably  the  most  noted  of  all  the  Spanish  flocks  were  the  Paulars,  Infantados, 
Escurials,  Guadaloupes,  Negrettis,  Montarcos  and  Aquierres.  We  have  no  authentic 
history  to  show  how  marked  and  well  denned  were  the  differences  that  existed  between 
these  families  ;  there  is  a  general  belief  among  sheep  men  that  the  Escurials  were  the 
finest  fleeced  of  all  the  Spanish  flocks  ;  the  Negrettis  the  wrinkliest,  and  the  Paulars 
the  hardiest,  best  formed  and  heaviest  folded  in  the  neck.  *  *  *  *  Col. 

David  Humphreys  [see  Atwoods]  left  no  records  behind  to  show  from  what  flock  or 
flocks  he  obtained  his  sheep  ;  Consul  Jarvis,  who  went  to  Spain  soon  after,  made  a  great 
effort  to  learn  this  fact,  but  without  success.  Stephen  Atwood,  the  distinguished  Con- 
necticut breeder,  who  lived  near  Col.  Humphreys,  wrote  Gen.  Otto  F.  Marshal,  Wheeler, 
N.  Y.,  in  1884,  that  Col.  Humphreys'  sheep  were  of  the  Paular  breed.  That  Edwin  Ham- 
mond, the  great  improver  of  Merino  sheep  (Atwoods),  was  of  the  same  opinion,  the  fol- 
lowing certificates  witness  : 

"  '  MIDDLEBURY,  Vx.,  September  23,  1847. 

"  'This  may  certify  that  I  have  this  day  sold  to  D.  P.  Pond,  of  Cornwall,  state  afore- 
said, six  full-blood  Merino  ewes— four  of  them  being  of  the  age  of  one  year,  and  one  of 
them  bearing  the  age  of  two  years.  Said  sheep  are  of  the  Paular  breed,  a  part  of  them 
being  purchased  by  myself  and  R.  P.  Hall  of  Stephen  Atwood,  of  Connecticut,  and  the 
other  portions  of  said  sheep  were  raised  by  me  and  are  precisely  the  same  in  pedigree  as 


244 


MERINOS. 


those  purchased  of  Mr.  Atwood.     As  I  bred  them  pure  from  said  Atwood  sheep,  I   will 
here  insert  a  certificate  which  I  obtained  of  Mr.  Atwood  and  reads  as  follows : 

"  '  WOODBURY,  Litchfield  County,  Conn.,  January  27,  1844. 

"  '  This  may  certify  that  Edward  Hammond  and  R.  P.  Hall,  of  Addison  county, 
state  of  Vermont,  have  this  day  purchased  of  me  three  full-blood  Merino  bucks,  and  of 
me  and  others  27  full-blood  Merino  ewes,  descendants  from  my  flock  of  the  Paular  breed, 
which  originated  from  the  celebrated  flock  imported  by  Col.  Humphreys,  of  Derby,  New 
Haven  county,  state  of  Connecticut. 

"  '  (Signed  by  Stephen  Atwood.) 

"  'EDWIN  HAMMOND.' 

("These  certificates  were  published  in  the  Country  Gentlemanoi  August  24,  1865; 
the  original, -given  by  Mr.  Hammond,  was  carried  to  the  Country  Gentleman  office  by  a 
deputation  of  Vermont  breeders,  of  whom  the  venerable  S.  S.  Rockwell,  West  Cornwall, 
was  chairman.") 


PURE-BRED   PAULAR   MERINO    RAM. 

Property  of  JNO.  P.  RAY,  Hemlock  Lake,  N.  V. 

"OTHER  PAULAR  BLOOD. — Consul  Jarvis,  hitherto  mentioned,  sent  out  fro.n  Spain 
1,400  sheep  of  this  breed.  His  flock,  which  he  established  at  Wethersfield,  Vermont,  and 
bred  in  separate  and  distinct  blood  lines  for  several  years  and  subsequently  mixed  all 
together  in  breeding,  was  originally  composed  of  about  one-half  Paulars,  one-quarter 
Aquierres,  and  the  other  fourth  Escurials,  Negrettis  and  Montarcos. 

"Andrew  Cocks,  Flushing,  Long  Island,  purchased  800  head  of  sheep  from  the 
different  cargoes  sent  in,  and  history  and  tradition  sustain  the  fact  that  his  purchases 
consisted  of  Paulars,  which  he  selected  with  great  care.  He  bred  the  flock  pure  down  to 
1823,  when  it  was  sold  to  Jehiel  Beedle,  on  account  of  Leonard  Beedle  and  Hon.  Charles 
Rich,  of  Shoreham,  Vermont.  At  the  time  of  the  sale  to  the  Vermont  parties,  it  is  claimed 
that  some  of  the  imported  sheep  were  still  in  the  flock,  and  carried  the  original  Spanish 


MERINOS.  245 

ear-marks.  It  would  occupy  too  much  space  to  reproduce  the  certificates  given  by  Effing- 
ham  Lawrence,  John  T.  Rich,  F.  H.  Jennison,  Charles  A.  Hurlburt,  Jasper  Barnum  and 
Levi  Rockwood,  all  going  to  show  that  the  Cocks  flock  were  of  the  Paular  family,  and 
were  certified  to  be  such  in  the  bill  of  sale  given  by  Cocks  to  Beedle.  We  refer  the 
reader  to  Moore's  Rural  New-  Yorker  of  August  5,  1865,  where  the  certificates  may  be 
found. 

' '  The  Rich  branch  of  the  Cocks  sheep  was  bred  for  several  years  in  the  Cocks  blood 
lines,  then  it  was  crossed  to  a  rarn  bred  by  Consul  Jarvis,  and  later  still  with  the  blood  of 
Stephen  Atwood's  flock.  From  this  flock  was  descended  the  celebrated  flock  of  V.  Rich, 
Richville,  Vt.,  and  the  flocks  of  the  late  Tyler  Stickney  and  Erastus  Robinson,  Shorebam, 
Vt.,  the  blood  of  which  is  now  widely  dispersed  throughout  the  country. 

"  About  1840,  David  and  German  Cutting  purchased  about  80  ewes  and  two  rams  that 
were  bred  by  or  descended  from  the  flocks  of  David  Buffum,  Rense  Potter,  David  I. 
Bailey  and  Geo.  Irish,  of  Newport,  Rhode  Island.  It  is  claimed  that  these  sheep  were 
descended  from  the  importations  of  Paul  Cuffe  and  Richard  Crowineshield,  and  were 
without  doubt  consignments  of  Consul  Jarvis.  Messrs.  Cutting  bred  these  sheep  to  rams 
of  Robinson  and  Rich  and  Atwood  blood,  and  wherever  this  blood  has  found  its  way  it 
has  been  crossed  without  reference  to  maintaining  the  original  Rhode  Island  strains — 
hence  but  a  small  fraction  of  that  blood  remains  in  the  Cutting  blood-lines  wherever 
found. 

"In  1844,  Jacob  N.  Blakeslee  of  Watertown,  Conn.,  wrote  a  letter  for  publication 
in  the  Cultivator,  published  at  Albany,  N.  Y.,  in  which  he  claimed  his  sheep  to  be  of 
Negretti,  Montarco  and  Escurial  blood. 

"  It  may  be  assumed  that  our  improved  American  Merino  flocks  are  substantially,  if 
not  wholly,  descended  from  the  foregoing  named  blood-lines,  with  the  Blakeslee  blood, 
at  most,  in  a  very  limited  degree.  For  more  than  40  years  a  class  of  our  breeders  have 
claimed  a  family  of  sheep  descended  purely  from  the  flocks  of  the  Atwoods  of  Connecti- 
cut, and  have  claimed  a  distinction  in  title  and  breeding.  In  view  of  this  circumstance, 
and  the  fact  that  all  other  pure-bred  Merinos  partake  largely  of  the  Paular  blood,  they 
have  been  very  generally  alluded  to  as  '  Improved  Paulars, '  '  Mixed  Paulars, '  and 
'  American  Paulars,'  which  last  name  or  title  I  hope  will  be  generally  adopted. 

1 '  The  most  successful  breeders  of  these  sheep  have  aimed  to  secure  type  and  quality  in 
their  flocks,  and  have  placed  this  above  any  special  line  of  descent  from  importation,  or 
from  any  one  of  the  earlier  flocks.  In  pursuing  their  course  of  breeding  they  have  made 
use  of  the  best  specimens  of  the  breed,  and  as  a  rule  have  avoided  too  close  in-and-in 
breeding,  and  have  achieved  results  unattained  elsewhere  when  measured  by  high,  sure 
weight  of  carcass,  or  weight  of  fleece — either  gross  or  scoured.  The  aim  has  been  to  pro- 
duce a  well-formed  and  symmetrical  animal,  of  constitutional  vigor,  carrying  a  dense, 
oily  fleece  of  good  quality  throughout.  Folds  or  wrinkles  have  been  cultivated  in  a  marked 
degree,  and  an  amount  of  oil  secured  in  the  fleece  that  many  have  thought  to  be  extrav- 
agant in  the  extreme  ;  yet  sheep  of  this  class  have  made  great  improvement  on  the  com- 
mon wool-growing  flocks — the  wrinkles  contributing  toward  density  of  fleece  and  cover- 
ing, and  the  oil  proving  interchangeable  with  wool  product. 

1 '  The  accompanying  Scale  of  Points  will  enable  one  to  understand  the  points  of 
excellence  esteemed  by  breeders.  A  ram  takes  standard  rank  by  making  a  score  of  75 
points,  and  a  record  at  public  shearing  of  25  Ibs.  fleece  and  no  Ibs.  carcass. 

"SCALE  OF  POINTS  FOR  STOCK  RAM. 

' '  Bone 5 

Physical  development  and  general  appearance 10 

Head  broad,  nose  wrinkly  and  face  covered  with  soft,  velvety  coat 5 

Neck  short,  broad,  muscular,  well  set  on  shoulders 5 

Forward 25 


246  MERINOS. 

Forward 25 

Shoulder   massive  as  to  depth  and  breadth $ 

Back  level,  straight — Ribs,  rotund 5 

Hips  broad  and  long 5 

Fore  legs  straight,  well  set  apart 3 

Hind  legs  straight  and  set  so  as  to  give  a  perpendicular  appearance  to  hind 

parts 5 

Ear  soft,  thick  and  velvety 2 

Color  of  nose,  ears  and  hoofs  pure  white 5 

Wrinkles  on  neck  heavy,  pendulous 5 

Wrinkles  across  arm  and  point  of  shoulder  on  side  and  running  well  under  .  5 

Tail,  hip  folds  and  flank 5 

Density  of  fleece  on  neck 3 

"        ' back •;..    .......  3 

Density  of  fleece  on  side 3 

"      "        "     hip  and  extending  to  flank 3 

belly ...    .  3 

(  Crown  of  head  or  cap 3 

Cheek -••-•:•, 2 

Fore  leg 2 

Arm-pits 2 

Covering.   •{  Hind  leg 2 

Inside  of  flank 3 

Connection  between  tag  wool  and  belly i 

Fibre  to  indicate,  as  'fine,'  'medium'  and  'coarse.' 
Oil,  as  '  buff '  and  '  white.' 

Perfection 100" 

The  illustration  represents  the  ram  "Prince  Bismarck,"  a  famous 
prize  winner  of  the  Paular  family,  that  was  never  beaten  in  the  show 
ring.  In  full  fleece  he  weighed  200  Ibs. ,  and  yielded  a  fleece,  of  one 
year's  growth,  of  35  Ibs.  9%  ozs. 

The  Dickinsons. 

Concerning  the  origin  of  this  strain  of  Merino  blood,  we  may  say: 
Mr.  Thos.  Rotch  purchased  from  Col.  Humphreys  (Derby,  Connecti- 
cut) some  of  the  latter's  pure-bred  Spanish  Merinos,  imported  in  1802, 
and  took  them  to  Stark  county,  Ohio,  about  the  year  1810.  W.  R. 
Dickinson — from  whom  the  family  takes  its  name — lived  at  Steuben- 
ville,  Ohio,  but  had  large  landed  possessions  in  Stark  county,  and  soon 
secured  the  entire  flock  of  pure-bred  Merinos  as  his  own.  The  sheep 
were  bred  with  scrupulous  care  as  to  purity  of  blood,  and  under  Mr. 
Dickinson's  skillful  management  soon  reached  a  high  state  of  improve- 
ment. After  the  death  of  Mr.  Dickinson  (1831),  Adam  Heldenbrand 
became  the  owner  of  all  the  pure-bred  Humphreys  sheep  which  Mr. 
Dickinson  had  bred,  and  from  him  was  secured  the  nucleus  which 
formed  the  flock  of  James  McDowell. 

As  we  shall  mention  under  the  next  topic  an  apparent  conflict  of 
statements  between  breeders  of  Dickinson  and  Black-Tops,  it  may  be 
well  to  make  the  following  extract  from  a  published  letter,  written  by 


MERINOS. 


247 


248  MERINOS. 

James  McDowell  in  1884,  in  which  Dickinson  breeders  find  their 
authority  to  deny  a  Humphreys  origin  for  the  Black-Top  sheep  ;  the 
last  statement  is  the  one  refered  to  : 

.  "  W.  R.  Dickinson,  of  Steubenville,  Jefferson  county,  O.,  in  the  early  part  of  this 
century,  commenced  the  breeding  of  a  small  flock  of  pure  Merino  sheep  that  were  im- 
ported from  Spain  in  the  year  1802  by  Col.  David  Humphreys,  of  Derby,  New  Haven 
county,  Connecticut.  These  he  secured  through  the  agency  of  Thomas  Rotch,  an  emi- 
nent and  enterprising  citizen  of  Connecticut,  who  migrated  from  that  state  to  Stark 
county,  O.,  in  the  early  part  of  this  century,  bringing  with  him  the  first  large  flock  of 
Spanish  Merinos  into  Ohio. 

"These  sheep  were  bought  direct  of  Col.  Humphreys,  which  was  learned  by  my 
personal  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Dickinson,  Thomas  Rotch  and  his  shepherd,  John  Hall, 
who  brought  the  sheep  from  Connecticut  to  Ohio. 

"  The  sheep  which  Mr.  Dickinson  secured  were  kept  at  Steubenville,  O.,  for  a  few 
years,  and  were  the  origin  of  his  entirely  pure-bred  Merioos,  descended  directly  from 
sheep  imported  by  Col.  Humphreys  from  Spain  in  1802. 

"These  were  distinctly  marked,  and  separately  kept.  Mr.  Dickinson  stated  in  the 
latter  years  of  his  life  that  he  never  sold  any  of  the  ewes  descended  from  his  own  pure- 
bred-flock, his  sales  being  of  ewes  purchased  throughout  the  country — a  grade  of  well- 
bred  Merino  flocks  or  those  descended  therefrom,  in  which  he  dealt  extensively." 

Dickinson  Merinos,  eligible  to  entry  in  the  Dickinson  Merino  Sheep 
Record,  must  trace  their  descent  to  the  standard-bred  flock  of  James 
McDowell,  Canton,  Stark  county,  Ohio  (without  admixture  of  impure 
blood),  which  flock,  as  we  have  already  mentioned,  was  directly  de- 
scended from  the  Humphreys  importation  of  1802,  through  the  famous 
flock  of  W.  R.  Dickinson. 

The  following,  adopted  by  the  Association,  may  be  accepted  as  a 
standard 

DESCRIPTION. 

"Body  deep,  round,  wide  and  long,  showing  mutton  capacity,  good  feeding  and 
thriving  qualities,  heavy,  thick  flesh,  straight  under  and  top  lines,  well  proportioned, 
filling  every  part  of  its  skin  when  fully  matured.  Skin  thick,  soft,  not  raised  in  corruga- 
tions, pink  red.  Head  small,  carried  high.  Quiet,  placid  eye.  Nose  white,  not 
mottled,  covered  with  fine,  soft  white  hair,  wide  and  slightly  arched.  Ears,  short,  thick, 
covered  with  fine,  glossy  hair.  Horns  small,  neatly  curved,  light  yellow  color  ;  better 
without  any  horns.  Neck  short,  arched  in  under  and  on  top,  the  base  very  strong. 
Shoulders,  wide,  deep,  rounded,  breast  bone  projecting  forward  of  front  limb.  Back 
straight,  wide,  ribs  extending  out  horizontally  from  spinal  column,  rounding  in  line  with 
shoulders,  extending  close  back  to  hips.  Loins  strong,  wide.  Hips  wide,  long.  Thighs 
wide,  thick  flesh  extending  close  down  to  hock  joints.  Limbs  short,  bone  heavy,  joints 
smooth  and  flat,  the  contour  of,  to  show  perpendicular  lines  from  elbow  and  stifle  joints 
to  center  of  hoofs,  and  from  base  of  tail  to  center  of  a  straight  line  drawn  horizontally 
from  caps  of  hock  joints,  when  standing  erect  on  limbs.  Hoofs  deep,  thin,  white  ;  tex- 
ture tough  and  elastic.  Fleece  smooth,  even,  dense,  soft  to  the  touch.  Staple  three  to 
five  inches,  fibres  glossy,  crimped.  Quality  XX.,  XXX.  or  above,  fine.  Quantity,  rams 
15  to  25  Ibs  ,  ewes  10  to  15  Ibs.  unwashed  wool,  covering  entire  body  with  even  length  and 
grade,  except  parts  injuring  thrift  and  comfort  of  sheep,  entirely  free  from  gum  and 
hair.  Oil  very  fluid,  white  or  nearly  so,  enough  to  preserve  the  wool  and  rising  to  outer 
ends  of  fibres.  Size  of  full  grown  rams  200  Ibs.,  and  ewes  150  Ibs.  Internal  organs 
strong.  Mature  early,  -i1/?,  years." 


MERINOS.  249 

The  following  Scale  of  Points — also  adopted  by  the  Association — 
should  be  used  in  connection  with  the  above  description: 

Skin 4                  Forward        49 

Head 4      Hoofs ....  4 

Nose 3      Smoothness  of  fleece 6 

Ears 3      Staple 4 

Horns 3      Quality  of  fleece 6 

Neck 4      Quantity  of  fleece 6 

Shoulders 5      Covering  . 8 

Back .  8      Oil 5 

Loins 3      Size  of  animal 5 

Hips 3      Internal  organs .  4 

Thighs 4      Maturity 3 

Legs 5 

Perfection 100 

Forward 49 

Dickinson  Merinos  are  now  favorably  known  in  many  parts  of  the 
United  States.  The  Record  Association  was  organized  in  May,  1884. 
Mr.  H.  G.  McDowell,  son  of  James  McDowell,  is  the  present  active  and 
efficient  secretary. 

The    Black- Tops. 

This  family,  if  the  claims  of  its  breeders  are  correct,  furnishes  a 
good  example  of  change  wrought  by  slow,  steady  purpose  in  one  direc- 
tion— the  Black-Top  Merinos  being  placed  before  the  public  as  lineal 
descendants  of  the  Dickinsons — just  described — and  through  them  of  the 
original  Humphreys  importation  in  1802.  Referring  to  preceding  topic, 
will  be  found  the  Dickinson  breeders'  claim  that  W.  R.  Dickinson  never 
sold  any  of  his  Humphreys  sheep.  If  this  can  be  proved,  it  will  leave 
the  Black-  fops  with  a  broken  link  in  their  chain  of  genealogy.  We  do 
not  undertake  to  decide  the  case,  but  give  both  statements,  and  invite 
the  reader  to  draw  his  own  conclusions,  or  investigate  further  on  his  own 
responsibility. 

Concerning  the  change,  or,  as  the  breeders  of  Black-Tops  have  it — 
improvement  in  these  sheep  of  Dickinson  descent,  we  may  say :  In 
1821  Wm.  Berry,  of  Washington  county,  Pa.,  purchased  a  choice  ram 
and  a  number  of  ewes  from  W.  R.  Dickinson's  flock;  and,  according  to 
Vol.  I.  of  the  Black-Top  Register,  Mr.  Berry  was  assured  and  satisfied 
that  these  sheep  were  directly  descended  from  the  original  Humphreys 
importation  made  in  1802.  Without  discussing  this  question  further,  it 
is  certain  that  Mr.  Berry  strictly  carried  out  his  purpose  to  breed  within 
the  flock  and  make  all  improvement  by  selection  and  care.  In  1847  he 
rented  his  farm  and  sold  his  flock  to  his  two  sons — William  and  Mat- 
thew— himself  moving  to  Canonsburg,  Pa.,  where  he  remained  until  his 
death,  Dec.  26th,  1866.  In  the  experience  of  both  Mr.  Berry  and  his 
sons,  it  was  noticed  that  the  sheep  with  darkest  "tops"  were  the 
largest  and  made  the  best  records  in  shearing.  They  also  found  that 


250  MERINOS. 


the  darker  sheep  were  more  hardy,  and  better  able  to  endure  the  rough 
winter  weather  of  that  latitude  than  were  those  of  lighter  cast.  It  is 
believed  that  Mr.  Berry  was  the  first  to  apply  the  name  "Black-Tops," 
and  that  he  did  so  to  distinguish  them  from  the  light  colored,  delicate 
Saxon  Merinos,  which  for  a  time  were  bred  in  the  vicinity. 

By  permission  of  the  secretary,  W.  G.  Berry,  of  Houstonville, 
Pa.,  we  make  the  following  authoritative  extracts  from  Vol.  I.  of  the 
Black-Top  Spanish  Merino  Sheep  Register  : 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

"Constitution  indicated  by  physical  development;  deep  and  large  in  the  breast 
and  through  the  heart  ;  broad  back  ;  very  heavy,  square  quarters  ;  skin  of  fine  texture 
and  pinkish  in  color  ;  expansive  nostril ;  brilliant  eye  ;  healthful  countenance,  and  good 
feeders. 

"In  good  condition,  with  fleece  of  five  months'  growth,  full  grown  rams  should 
weigh  not  lesss  than  175  pounds,  and  ewes  not  less  than  125  pounds. 

"  Head  carried  well  up;  standing  squarely  on  feet  and  legs;  well  rounded  body, 
showing  in  all  points  symmetry  of  form  ;  body  throughout  heavy  boned,  well  propor- 
tioned in  length  ;  smooth  joints,  ribs  starting  horizontally  from  the  back  bone,  and  well 
around  to  breast  bone ;  breast  bone  wide,  strong  and  prominent  in  front ;  strong, 
straight,  and  heavy  back  bone  ;  heavy,  muscular  quarters ;  shoulders  broad  and  flat ; 
muscles  firm  and  heavy,  and  body  entirely  free  from  folds.  There  may  be  a  slight 
throatiness,  and  a  small  dewlap — smaller  on  the  ewes  than  on  the  rams. 

"The  head  should  be  wide,  with  clear,  bright  eyes  and  prominent  ears.  Ewes 
should  give  no  appearance  of  horns,  while  upon  the  rams  the  horns  should  be  well  de- 
veloped, clear  in  color,  and  symmetrically  curved. 

"Neck  very  heavy,  especially  with  the  rams,  deepening  towards  the  shoulder. 
Legs  medium  in  length,  set  well  apart,  with  well-shaped,  medium-sized  feet.  The  body 
and  legs  to  the  knees  covered  with  medium  or  fine  wool,  extending  well  forward  be- 
tween the  eyes.  Fleece  should  be  compact,  but  should  open  freely — showing  a  length 
(at  twelve  months  growth)  of  not  less  than  three  inches,  and  the  oil  (yolk)  must  be  white, 
flowing  freely  from  skin  to  surface,  and  form  on  the  exterior  a  uniform  dark  coating." 

The  following  standard  Scale  of  Points  should  be  used  in  connec- 
tion with  the  above  : 

"Constitution 15                      Forward 64 

Size 12         Covering 8 

General   appearance 3         Quality   of   fleece 7 

Body 15         Density  of   fleece 7 

Head 5         Length   of   staple 8 

Neck ..••'.•'.    .       4         Oil 6 

Legs  and  feet    .        10 

Perfection 100" 

Forward 64 

The  Delaines. 

The  origin  of  this  family  is  of  recent  date,  and  has  grown  out  of  a 
continued  and  steady  demand  for  what  is  known  as  Delaine  wools.  Just 
what  constitutes  Delaine  wool  is  rather  hard  to  define,  but  the  process  of 
manufacture  requires  combing  instead  of  carding — the  fibers  being  laid 


MERINOS. 


251 


252  MERINOS. 

parallel  with  each  other,  and  spun  at  full  length  in  the  yarn.  To  Mr. 
E.  R.  Mudge,  of  Boston,  Mass. — now  deceased — belongs  most  of  the 
credit  for  founding  this  branch  of  textile  industry,  and  to  the  breeders 
who  aimed  to  supply  the  demand  thus  created  we  turn  to  find  the  origin 
of  the  Delaine  Merino  Sheep.  It  is  claimed  that  no  deep  in-breeding  has 
been  practiced,  and  that  the  sheep  are,  therefore,  free  from  all  taint  of 
weakness  so  frequently  traced  to  incestuous  breeding.  On  the  other 
hand  it  is  stated,  that  nothing  but  the  purest  Merino  blood  has  ever 
been  introduced,  and  to  explain  the  seeming  contradiction,  we  may  say 
in  brief,  that  the  Delaine  Merino  has  been  produced  by  a  careful  system 
of  crossing  the  pure  Spanish  with  the  American  Black-Top  Merino. 
The  original  Spanish  foundation  for  the  Delaines  was  largely  made  up 
of  sheep  descended  from  an  importation  made  in  1820,  by  Richard  W. 
Meade — at  that  time  Minister  to  Spain.  These  sheep  were  first  sta- 
tioned near  Philadelphia,  but  were  afterwards  sent  to  Washington 
county,  Pa.,  where  their  choicest  descendants  have  since  been  bred. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

The  fleece  presents  a  uniformly  smooth  surface,  dark  on  the  outer 
end  of  wool,  but  a  "black-top" — caused  by  excess  or  sticky  character  of 
yolk,  and  consequent  clogging  up  with  dirt  to  form  an  outer  crust — is 
considered  a  great  objection.  The  natural  oil  or  yolk  should  be  freely 
liquid,  not  gummy,  showing  an  even  white  color  and  rising  to  the  top 
of  the  dense,  fine  covering.  The  staple  ( fiber )  is  of  good  length, 
averaging  from  two  and  a-half  to  three  inches  in  wool  of  one  year's 
growth,  covering  the  body  and  legs  to  the  knees.  The  animal  is  of 
good  size,  mature  rams  weighing  about  150  pounds,  and  ewes  about  100 
pounds — with  a  vigorous  constitution  and  a  carcass  for  mutton  which, 
in  a  fine  wool  sheep,  is  surprising.  To  illustrate  their  mutton  capacity, 
we  clip  the  following  from  the  issue  of  April,  1884,  National  Stockman, 
published  at  East  Liberty,  Pa. : 

"Among  the  sheep  sold  here  this  week,  there  was  a  car-load  of  fine  wool  wethers, 
something  under  three  years  old,  averaging  114^  pounds.  They  were  of  the  Delaine 
Merino  family,  were  raised  and  fed  by  James  McClelland,  of  Canonsburg,  Pa.,  and 
brought  seven  cents  per  pound,  a  price  which  shows  that  they  found  high  favor  among 
the  butchers.' 

The  following  Scale  of  Points,  condensed  from  the  National  Delaine 
Merino  Register,  has  been,  adopted  by  the  association,  and  is  now  in  use 
by  its  members : 

Constitution 10            Forward 27 

Heavy   round  heart 6       Back 8 

Neck 6       Ribs 5 

Dewlap      5       Legs 6 

Forward 27  Forward 46 


MERINOS. 


253 


:  c 

*  30 

tr  m 

'<  I 

>-  03 


254 


MERINOS. 


Forward 46 

Bone 8 

Foot 10 

Length  of  staple 8 

Density  of    fleece 8 

Forward                                         .  80 


Forward 80 

Darkish  cast  on  top .^5 

Opening  up  white 5 

Good  flow  of  white  oil *      5 

Good  crimp  in  staple 5 

Perfection     .  .  100 


The  Delaines,  as  well  as  the  Black-Tops  and  Dickinsons  (see 
illustrations),  are  smooth,  no  folds,  only  a  fullness  at  the  throat  being  per- 
mitted. Their  breeders  make  no  pretense  of  "line-pure"  descent  from 
a  single  sheep  or  a  single  flock,  but  on  the  contrary,  are  rather  proud  of 
having  secured  in  combination  the  blood  of  the  best  (in  their  judgment) 
flocks  in  America  and  Spain. 


Chapter    XLIX. 


HORNED    DORSETS. 

As  far  back  as  we  have  any  record  this  breed  of  sheep  has  existed 
in  the  shire  of  Dorset,  England.  From  the  fact  that  the  old  Dorset  re- 
sembled the  old  Spanish  Merino,  it  has  been  thought  that  the  former 
may  have  descended  from  the  latter.  The  resemblance,  however,  was 
only  in  form  and  external  appearance — the  properties  of  the  two  breeds 
being  entirely  different.  In  this  connection  we  quote  Prof.  Low  (1842): 

"While  the  Merinos  are  bad  nurses,  the  Dorsets  are  the  most  productive  of  milk  of 
any  of  our  races  of  sheep.  In  the  broad  loins  of  this  race  we  have  the  same  external 
character  which,  in  the  case  of  the  cow,  indicates  the  faculty  of  yielding  abundant  milk. 
The  remarkable  fecundity  of  these  sheep  has  given  rise  to  the  supposition  that  they  are 
derived  from  some  warmer  country  where  the  females  bring  forth  twice  in  the  year.  We 
have,  however  no  evidence  of  this  fact,  and  may  accordingly  believe  that  the  property  is 
one  which  is  due  to  situation,  although  the  peculiar  circumstances,  whether  of  climate  or 
food,  which  gave  rise  to  it  may  escape  our  observation." 

The  breed  is  not  well  known  in  America,  but  there  are  several  breed- 
ers of  considerable  prominence,  both  in  the  United  States  and  Canada ; 
and  during  the  last  five  or  six  years  they  have  pushed  forward  the 
Dorset  with  great  success.  We  do  not  know  of  any  Dorsets  in  the 
South,  but  see  no  reason  why  they  would  not  prove  of  value,  especially 
in  the  higher  portions  of  the  Texas  "Panhandle"  region. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  of  face  and  legs  white ;  head  fine,  rather  long,  and  supplied 
with  horns  in  both  male  and  female  ;  nose  and  lips  black.  The  shoulders 
are  low  but  broad;  chest  deep,  with  low  brisket;  back  straight,  and  loins 
unusually  broad  and  strong.  The  bone  is  light,  and  the  legs  rather 
long,  but  the  general  make-up  indicates  good  breeding  and  hardiness. 
In  size  they  are  above  medium — fat  two-year-old  wethers  reaching  as 
high  as  230  to  250  Ibs.,  and  mature  breeding  rams  weighing  175  to  200 
Ibs.  The  fleece  is  short,  of  above  medium  fineness,  and  high-class 
flocks  yield  an  average  clip  of  six  to  eight  pounds.  The  peculiar 
characteristics  which  distinguish  the  Dorsets  from  all  other  sheep  are 
their  early  and  prolific  breeding,  rapidity  of  fattening  and  early 
maturity.  They  surpass  all  other  breeds  in  general  fecundity — as  a  rule 
breeding  twice  a  year,  and  freqently  bearing  twins  and  triplets.  For 
the  production  of  early  market  lambs  no  sheep  can  rival  them,  unless  it 
be  the  cross-bred  produce  of  Southdown  rams  on  Dorset  ewes,  which 
have  been  most  popular  with  English  breeders. 

The  illustration  represents  a  group  from  Mr.  Fuller's  excellent 
flock,  Hamilton,  Ontario,  Canada. 

255 


256 


Chapter  L. 


CHEVIOTS. 

The  Cheviot  breed  of  sheep  had  its  origin  in  the  Cheviot  Hills  or 
mountains,  situated  in  the  north  of  England  and  extending  into  Scot- 
land. The  hills  are  mostly  conical,  and  are  separated  by  very  narrow 
valleys.  On  one  side  of  the  range  of  mountains  lies  the  "heather" 
country,  the  home  of  the  old  Black-Faced  Heath  Breed — and  on  the 
other  is  a  rich,  cultivated  tract. 

This  district,  according  to  Low,  "has  produced  from  time  im- 
memorial a  race  of  sheep  entirely  distinct  in  its  characters  from  the 
wild  heath  breed  of  the  elevated  moors  adjoining." 

There  is  a  fanciful  sort  of  tradition  to  the  effect  that  at  the  time  of 
the  attempted  invasion  by  the  Spanish  Armada  (1588),  and  the  conse- 
quent wreck  of  the  formidable  fleet  upon  the  stormy  British  coast,  some 
of  the  sheep  with  which  the  ships  were  provided  swam  ashore  and 
escaped  to  the  Cheviot  Hills,  where  they  have  since  bred  and  multiplied. 

Cheviot  sheep  have  gradually  extended  over  the  entire  mountain- 
ous portion  of  Scotland ;  and  during  the  past  century  have  been 
greatly  improved  by  a  class  of  breeders  second  to  none  in  the  world. 

They  were  imported  to  America  about  1840,  but  have  been  in  only 
a  few  localities — mainly  in  the  state  of  New  York — and  are  still  com- 
paratively unknown. 

We  are  not  aware  that  any  Cheviot  sheep  can  be  found  in  the  Gulf 
States  at  present  writing;  nor  is  it  probable  that  they  will  ever  be 
extensively  introduced. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  of  face  and  legs  white — rarely  tinted  or  speckled  ;  the  head 
is  of  good  size,  strictly  hornless ;  face  broad,  and  especially  full  at 
forehead ;  ears  wide  apart  and  of  good  size ;  eyes  prominent  and  lively 
— all  combining  to  make  up  a  peculiarly  intelligent,  strong-featured  ex- 
pression, well  suited  to  an  independent  mountain  breed.  The 
shoulders  are  rather  light,  as  in  all  mountain  breeds  of  sheep  ;  but  the 
body  is  long,  deep,  and  remarkably  well  filled  at  the  loin  and  quarters. 
The  fleece  is  short  and  of  medium  fineness,  and  makes  up  the  great 
bulk  of  the  genuine  Scotch  tweeds  and  Cheviot  cloths. 

As  compared  with  other  breeds  in  respect  to  fleece  they  do  not 
show  to  advantage,  since  their  wool  is  too  coarse  for  carding  and  too 

17  257 


CHKVIOTS. 


s^iiSF^&SS^ii^aSn  iic^  >__! C  -  ;J___— ..< 


CHEVIOTS.  259 

short  for  combing;  and  high-class  flocks  yield  an  annual  clip  of  not  over 
three  to  five  pounds  per  head. 

In  size  the  Cheviots  rank  as  medium  ;  two-year-old  wethers  can  be 
made  to  weigh  180  to  200  Ibs. ,  and  breeding  rams  at  maturity  should 
scale  about  175  Ibs.  They  fatten  quickly  on  root-crops,  after  pasture, 
without  grain.  The  ewes  are  good  mothers,  although  not  so  prolific  as 
some  other  breeds,  and  the  lambs  very  hardy. 

For  western  and  northern  ranges,  especially  those  in  the  mountain- 
ous regions  of  Montana,  Idaho  and  Wyoming,  the  Cheviot  should  prove 
an  excellent  breed. 

The  pure  bloods  are,  perhaps,  not  so  valuable,  but  they  furnish  an 
admirable  basis  for  crossing  with  Cotswold  and  Leicester  rams,  increas- 
ing thereby  length  of  staple  and  size  of  carcass,  while  retaining  the 
hardy  mountain  instincts  of  the  Cheviot  race. 


Chapter  LI. 


SOUTHDOWNS. 

The  Southdown  heads  the  list  of  middle-wool  mutton  sheep ;  both 
from  its  acknowledged  superiority,  and  from  the  fact  that  nearly,  if  not 
quite  all,  of  the  other  "Downs"  are  indebted  to  it  for  much  of  their 
present  excellence.  The  breed  takes  its  name  from  the  slopes  of  the 
Chalk  Hills  of  England,  called  "Downs." 

Referring  to  this  place  of  their  origin,  Professor  Low  (1842)  says  : 

' '  The  Scotch  Downs  of  Sussex  consist  of  a  range  of  low  chalky  hills,  are  five  or  six 
miles  in  breadth,  stretching  along  the  coast  upwards  of  sixty  miles,  and  passing  into  the 
chalky  lands  of  Hants  on  the  west.  In  contact  with  this  range  of  hills  is  a  tract  of  low 
cultivated  ground,  which  is  usually  connected  with  the  Down  farms,  although  many  of 
the  latter  have  no  vale  or  flat  land  attached.  The  herbage  of  these  hills  is  short,  but 
well  adapted  for  the  keeping  of  sheep,  of  which  vast  numbers  have,  in  every  known 
period,  occupied  the  pastures.  Whilst  the  dryness  of  the  air,  the  moderate  elevation  of 
the  land,  and  consequent  mildness  of  the  climate,  are  all  eminently  favorable  to  the 
rearing  of  a  race  of  Downs  or  mountain  sheep,  the  contact  of  the  cultivated  country  af- 
fords the  means  of  supplying  artificial  food.  It  is  this  combination  of  favorable  circum- 
stances which  has  rendered  these  calcareous  hills  capable  of  supporting  a  greater  number 
of  sheep  than  perhaps  any  tract  of  similar  fertility  in  the  country,  and  has  afforded  the 
means  to  the  breeders  of  applying  the  resources  of  artificial  feeding  to  their  improve- 
ment. 

"The  original  breed  of  the  Sussex  Downs  was  not  superior  to  that  of  many  other 
districts  of  the  chalk  formation  ;  but  the  means  of  supplying  the  animal  with  artificial 
food,  which  the  geographical  situation  of  this  long  and  narrow  chain  of  hills  in  contact 
with  the  richer  country  afforded,  aided  the  breeder  in  applying  to  the  improvement  of 
the  race  a  system  of  breeding  and  feeding  which  has  rendered  the  Southdown  breed  the 
most  esteemed  in  the  countries  suited  to  it,  of  all  the  short-wooled  sheep  of  England." 

From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Southdown  was  a  natural  out- 
growth of  circumstances,  and  really  "native"  to  the  locality  from  which 
it  takes  its  name. 

Improvement  of  the  breed  began  about  1775-80,  but  received  its 
greatest  impulse  about  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  since 
which  time  it  has  been  constantly  active  and  progressive. 

To  Mr.  John  Ellman,  of  the  Glynde  farm,  near  Lewis,  in  Sussex- 
shire,  is  universally  accorded  first  place  among  the  improvers  of  South- 
downs. 

He  began  about  1780,  and  devoted  the  remainder  of  his  life — some 
52  years— to  careful,  unselfish  work  in  advancing  his  favorite  breed 
of  sheep. 

While  Mr.   Bakewell  was  fully    his    equal    in    point    of   skill    as  a 

260 


SOUTHDOWNS. 


261 


262  SOUTHDOWNS. 

breeder,  perhaps  his  superior,  he  was  inclined  to  keep  his  methods 
closely  concealed,  incurring  thereby  a  rather  general  disfavor.  Mr. 
Ellman,  on  the  other  hand,  freely  communicated  the  results  of  his  ex- 
periments, and  showed  himself  to  be  entirely  free  from  all  illiberal  pre- 
judice. His  aim  was  to  produce  a  sheep  which  should  combine  the 
points  most  desirable,  in  his  judgment,  for  the  locality  in  which  he 
lived ;  and  with  him  it  was — first,  health  and  constitution ;  second, 
fixedness  of  type.  He,  therefore,  did  not  in-breed  so  closely  as  did 
Bakewell,  but  purchased  freely  from  his  contemporaries  in  order  to  in- 
fuse fresh  blood  and  retain  the  vigor  of  his  flock. 

Since  Mr.  Ellman's  death  (1832),  there  have  been  many  careful 
breeders  to  carry  forward  the  work,  and  keep  up  the  popularity  and 
excellence  of  the  Southdown  breed,  among  them  Mr.  Jonas  Webb,  of 
Suffolk,  who  may  be  called  his  immediate  successor. 

The  Southdown,  next  to  the  Merino,  is  the  most  widely  known  of 
all  the  breeds  of  sheep  at  present  in  the  United  States  ;  and  in  the  West- 
ern and  Middle  States  finds  its  greatest  popularity. 

In  the  South  the  Merino  has  the  preference,  but  many  Southdowns 
are  being  shipped  in  for  use  in  grading  up  on  flocks  of  Merino  basis, 
and  are  reported  to  acclimate  readily  and  produce  a  desirable  grade. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  of  face  and  legs  a  uniform  tint  of  brown,  gray  or  mouse 
(formerly  speckled  faces  were  admitted,  but  later  breeders  aim  to 
exclude  all  except  the  colors  mentioned);  head  medium  in  size,  horn- 
less, forehead  and  cheeks  well  covered  with  wool ;  ears  rather  small, 
wide  apart  and  lively ;  eyes  bright  and  full ;  neck  short,  fine  at  head, 
but  well  set  on  to  broad,  full  shoulders.  The  chest  is  wide  and  deep ; 
back  and  loin  broad ;  ribs  well  arched  ;  hips  wide  and  close  to  floating 
ribs ;  thigh  fleshed  low  down,  and  legs  fine-boned,  short,  and  wooled  to 
knee  and  hock.  The  belly  is  straight  and  well  covered  with  wool ;  gen- 
eral appearance  smooth — with  no  trace  of  coarseness — spirited  and 
attractive. 

The  fleece  is  white,  compact,  moderately  long  and  close,  and  car- 
rying some  yolk.  They  are  fair,  not  heavy,  shearers — running  some 
four  to  six  or  seven  pounds  per  fleece  in  high-class  flocks  ;  but  their 
mutton  is  unexcelled,  and  has  always  commanded  the  top  of  the  English 
market. 

The  ewes  are  prolific,  make  excellent  mothers,  and  their  lambs  are 
uniformly  hardy  and  vigorous. 

In  size  they  are  above  medium — two-year-old  fat  wethers  weighing 
as  high  as  200  to  225  Ibs.,  and  mature  breeding  rams  about  170  to  190  Ibs. 

Where  a  sheep  is  wanted  to  produce  mutton  as  a  prime  object,  with 


SOUTHDOWNS. 


263 


wool  as  a  secondary,  but  if  possible  paying  accompaniment,  we  know  of 
no  breed  which  more  completely  fills  the  requirements  than  this. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points — to  be  used  with  description — for 
judging  at  fairs,  is  clipped  from  the  American  Southdown  Record,  Mr. 
S.  E.  Prather,  of  Springfield,  111.,  secretary: 


Head 5 

Lips i 

Ears 0.    .    .    .  2 

Eyes 3 

Face 3 

Neck 4 

Shoulders . 5 

Breast 5 

Back  and  Loin 7 

Ribs 6 

Rump 6 

Perfection 100 

Forward 47 

Four  volumes  of  the  Record  have  been  published,  comprising  5,000 
entries,  and  the  secretary  writes  under  date  December  22,  1892: 

"*     *     Entries  for  Volume  V.  are  coming  in  more  rapidly  than  ever  before     *     *." 
The  illustration  of  a  group  from  Mr.  Harvey's  flock  fairly  represents 
the  breed  in  all  particulars. 


Forward 47 

Hips 6 

Thighs 6 

Legs 3 

Fore  Legs 2 

Hind  Legs 2 

Belly 5 

Fleece 12 

Form 9 

General  appearance 8 


Chapter  LII. 


SHROPSHIRES. 

This  breed — long  and  favorably  known  in  England — is,  in  America, 
comparatively  new.  The  first  importation  of  an*y  note  was  made  in  1855, 
Virginia  claiming  the  honor,  but  it  is  only  within  the  last  eight  or  ten 
years  that  Shropshire  sheep  have  attracted  any  marked  attention  from 
breeders  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic. 

The  origin  of  the  breed  may  be  traced  almost  directly  to  the  polled 
sheep  of  Cannock  Heath,  and  the  old  black,  or  spotted-faced  breed  of 
Morfe  Common.  In  Volume  XVI.,  Journal  of  the  Royal  Agricultural 
Society,  there  is  given  this  fragment  of  a  report  from  the  Bristol  Wool 
Society  (1792)  regarding  the  breed  last  referred  to: 

"On  Morfe  Common,  near  Bridgnorth,  there  are  about  10,000  sheep  kept  during  the 
summer  months,  which  produce  wool  of  a  superior  quality.  They  are  considered  a  native 
breed,  are  black-faced  or  brown,  or  spotted-faced  horned  sheep,  little  subject  to  either  rot 
or  scab." 

The  sheep  of  Cannock  Heath  were  hornless,  with  grayish  faces  and 
legs,  and  are  described  by  Youatt  as  attaining  great  weight.  From 
these  two  hardy  native  breeds  the  Shropshire  has  been  gradually  im- 
proved— whether  within  itself  or  by  further  out-crossing  with  other 
breeds  is  difficult  to  determine — until  it  stands  at  least  the  acknowl- 
edged rival  of  any  of  our  modern  middle-wool  breeds. 

From  Volume  I.  of  the  American  Shropshire  Record  we  quote: 

"In  England,  the  turning  point  with  Shropshire  sheep  was  in  the  Royal  Show  Yard 
at  Gloucester,  in  1853,  when  their  superiority  was  recognized.*  *  *  *  In  the  year 
1859,  the  breed  was  awarded  a  place  on  the  prize  sheet  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society, 
as  a  recognized  and  distinct  breed,  at  which  time  192  Shropshires  were  exhibited  with 
marked  success." 

In  America  they  have  not  hidden  their  light  under  a  bushel  by  any 
means.  In  1884,  at  the  Chicago  Fat  Stock  Show, 

"A  Shropshire  took  first  prize  in  the  class  between  two  and  three  years  old — competing 
with  Hampshires  and  Oxfords  ;  sweepstakes  for  best  sheep  any  breed  between  two  and 
three  years ;  grand  sweepstakes,  as  best  sheep  any  age  and  any  breed  ;  heaviest  fat  sheep 
and  best  dressed  carcass." — From  an  address  by  J.  L.  Stone,  before  the  Pennsylvania 
Board  of  Agriculture,  June  17,  1886. 

DESCRIPTION. 

The  face  is  dark  grayish  or  brown,  wool  coming  well  down  to  the  eyes, 
and  with  no  trace  of  horns.  The  legs  are  darker  than  face — almost 
black;  head  longer  than  in  the  Southdown  and  ears  larger,  while  the 

264 


SHROPSHIRKS. 


265 


266  SHROPSHIRES. 

wool  is  close  set,  finer  and  longer  in  staple.  In  addition  to  this  brief 
outline,  we  give  place  to  the  complete  description  of  a  typical  animal, 
adopted  in  connection  with  Scale  of  Points  by  the  American  Shropshire 
Association  (Mortimer  Levering  of  Lafayette,  Ind.,  secretary),  and  ap- 
pearing in  Volume  I.  of  the  American  Shropshire  Record: 

"Constitution  and  quality,  indicated  by  form  of  body  ;  deep  and  large  in  breast  and 
through  the  heart  ;  back  wide,  straight,  and  well  covered  with  lean  meat  or  muscle  ;  wide 
and  full  in  the  thigh  ;  deep  in  flank  ;  skin  thick  but  soft  and  of  a  pink  color  ;  prominent, 
brilliant  eyes  and  healthful  countenance. 

"  In  fair  condition  when  fully  matured,  rams  should  weigh  not  less  than  225  pounds 
and  ewes  not  less  than  175  pounds. 

' '  General  appearance  and  character  :  Good  carriage  ;  head  well  up  ;  elastic  move 
ment,  showing  great  symmetry  of  form  and  uniformity  of  character  throughout. 

"Body  well  proportioned,  medium  bones,  great  scale  and  length,  well  finished  hind 
quarters,  thick  back  and  loins,  twist  deep  and  full,  standing  with  legs  well  placed  outside, 
breast  wide  and  extending  well  forward. 

' '  Head  short  and  broad  ;  wide  between  ears  and  between  eyes  ;  short  from  top  of 
head  to  tip  of  nose  ;  ears  short,  of  medium  size  ;  eyes  expressive  ;  head  should  be  well 
covered  with  wool  to  a  point  even  with  the  eyes,  without  any  appearance  of  horns  ;  color 
of  face,  dark  brown. 

"Neck — Medium  length,  good  bone  and  muscular  development,  and  especially  with 
he  rams,  heavier  tow  ard  the  shoulders,  well  set  high  up,  and  rising  from  that  point  to  th 
back  of  the  head. 

"Legs — Broad,  short,  straight,  well  set  apart,  well  shaped,  color  dark  brown,  and 
well  wooled  to  the  knees. 

"Body,  head,  belly  and  legs  to  knees  well  covered  with  fleece  of  even  length  and 
quality  ;  scrotum  of  rams  well  covered  with  wool. 

"Wool  medium,  such  as  known  in  our  markets  as  'medium  delaine' and  'half 
combing  wool,'  strong,  fine,  lustrous  fiber,  without  tendency  to  mat  or  felt  together,  and 
at  one  year's  growth  not  less  than  three  and  one-half  inches  in  length." 

Scale  of  Points  for  Shropshires,  to  be  used  in  connection  with 
above  description  : 

Constitution 25  Forward 70 

Size 10  Neck 5 

General  appearance 10  Legs  and  Feet .    .    .  10 

Body 10  Fleece 10 

Head 15  Quality  of  Wool 5 


Forward        70  Perfection 100 

The  association  has  already  published  eight  volumes  of  the  Record, 
comprising  a  total  of  52,000  individual  animals,  and  representing  1,050 
owners  and  active  members  of  the  association. 

The  Shopshires  are  especially  fitted,  by  conditions  under  which 
they  have  been  reared,  for  moist  or  even  wet  localities.  That  they  will 
do  remarkably  well  on  the  dry  range  of  the  Southwest  we  are  con- 
strained to  doubt,  but  Shropshire  rams  for  use  in  grading  up  the  middle 
wools  already  on  the  range  are  giving  satisfaction.  What  more  could 
be  asked  ? 


Chapttr  LIII. 


HAMPSHIRES. 

This  breed  originated  in  the  Chalks  of  Hampshire,  England,  from 
which  locality  it  takes  its  name.  It  is  supposed  to  be  the  result  of 
mixing  the  blood  of  the  old  Wiltshire  and  native,  or  old  Hampshire 
sheep,  with  the  Southdown.  It  is  stated,  also,  that  the  Cotswold,  ane 
possibly  the  Leicester,  may  have  had  some  place  in  the  make-up  of  the 
modern  Hampshire  breed,  but  this  is  disputed  by  those  who  may  be 
called  good  authority.  In  this  connection  we  give  place  to  the  following 
interesting  communication  from  that  veteran  breeder  and  importer  of 
Hampshires,  now  president  of  the  Hampshire  Association,  Mr.  James 
Wood,  Mount  Kisco,  N.  Y.  : 

"The  statements  made  by  a  number  of  writers  on  Hampshires,  that  they  carry 
Cotswold  and  perhaps  Leicester  blood,  are  all  based  upon  a  supposition  of  Spooncr  in  a 
paper  on  'Cross  Breeding,'  published  in  the  Journal  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society 


HAMPSHIRE  RAM,  CYCLONE. 

Imported  by  JAMES  WOOD,  Mt.  Kisco,  New  York. 

in  1859,  which  I  have.  In  the  main,  it  is  an  admirable  paper.  He  does  not  say  it  is  a 
fact,  or  that  there  is  sufficient  evidence  to  prove  it,  but  he  supposes  there  may  have  been 
an  infusion  of  such  blood. 

"All  independent  authorities  are  against  it.  Youatt  is  the  oldest  author  who  men- 
tions Hampshires,  and  he  states  that  they  had  their  origin  in  the  original  Wiltshire  and 
Berkshire  sheep  crossed  with  the  Southdown.  Prof.  Wilson — a  very  high  authority — • 
states  that  no  other  blood  was  used.  John  Coleman,  professor  in  the  Royal  Agricul- 
tural College,  Cirencester,  and  late  editor  of  The  Field,  denies  the  Cotswold  theory. 
Squarey,  in  Coleman's  'Sheep  of  Great  Britain,'  says  only  the  old  Chalk  breeds  and 

267 


268 


HAMPSHIRES. 


Souihdowns  were  used.  Armitage,  in  'The  Sheep,'  makes  no  mention  of  Cotswold 
blood  or  Leicester.  Scott,  in  '  The  Practice  of  Sheep  Farming' — the  last  English  book 
on  sheep  — makes  no  mention  of  such  blood.  Alexander  Macdonald,  in  the  Mark  Lane 
Express  of  May  7,  1888,  gives  their  origin  'from  the  crossing  of  Wilts  and  Hants 
sheep,  embellished  by  an  infusion  of  Southdown  blood.' 

"Every  author  who  has  not  copied  from  Spooner  is  clear  upon  this  point.  I 
consider  the  matter  to  be  of  considerable  importance,  as  upon  the  fact  of  the  local 
origin  of  the  breed  rests  the  explanation  of  the  remarkable  prepotency  of  the  Hamp- 
shire, when  used  in  cross-breeding.  Spooner  states  that  they  have  extraordinary  power  in 
cross-breeding,  and  this  is  illustrated  by  the  fact  that  the  prizes  for  cross-bred  sheep  at 
the  great  English  shows  almost  always  go  to  sheep  with  a  Hampshire  parentage." 


HAMPSHIRE  RAM,   BARON. 

One  year  old  ;    imported  by  JAMES  WOOD,  Mt.  Kisco,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Wood  further  states  that  the  average  weight  of  breeding  rams 
in  his  own  flock,  and  others  with  which  he  is  familiar,  might  be  safely 
placed  at  250  to  275  Ibs.,  and  that  his  breeding  ewes  shear  an  average 
clip  of  seven  to  eight  pounds. 

The  Hampshire  is  the  Ir.rgest  of  the  Downs  families  proper,  and 
has  the  Downs  characteristics — dark  face  and  legs,  and  no  horns. 

Although  the  breed  has  been  known  since  near  the  beginning  of 
the  present  century,  it  has  been  only  of  late  years  that  it  has  taken  a 
prominent  place  in  public  favor.  Introduction  into  the  United  States 


HAMPSHIRES. 


269 


occurred  some  time  previous  to  the  Civil  War,  and  the  largest  and 
finest  flocks  were  found  in  the  South.  During  the  war,  however  (1860- 
65),  the  great  bulk  of  the  Hampshire  Down  flocks  in  the  South  were 
destroyed,  and  the  breed  practically  exterminated  in  this  section. 
Within  the  past  decade  they  have  been  quite  extensively  imported  to 
various  parts  of  the  South  and  Southwest,  and  are  said  to  surpass  their 
progenitors — the  Southdowns — in  the  readiness  with  which  they 
acclimate  and  adapt  themselves  to  our  peculiar  conditions. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  of    face   and  legs  dark  brown,  almost  black  ;  the  ears  are   of 
good   size,  and  more  pointed   than  those  of  the  Southdown  ;  the  head 


HAMPSHIRE  EWES. 

Imported  by  JAMES  WOOD,  Mt.  Kisco,  N.  Y.    (By  courtesy  of  "  Country  Gentleman,"  Albany,  N.  Y.) 

is  large  and  the  nose  decidedly  Roman  ;  the  back  is  straight,  and 
broader  than  in  either  the  Southdown  or  Shropshire.  As  already  noted, 
it  is  the  largest  of  the  Downs  families  proper,  about  equaling  the  Ox- 
fordshire (which  latter,  although  classed  as  a  Down,  should  be  placed  in 
a  class  intermediate  between  Downs  and  Longwools),  fat  two-year-old 
wethers  weighing  as  high  as  275  to  300  pounds,  and  mature  breeding 
rams  scaling  an  average  say  between  200  and  225  pounds.  Although 
heavier  than  Shropshires,  they  are  hardly  so  symmetrical,  being  longer 
in  the  legs  and  somewhat  lighter  underneath,  but  the  back  at  the  loin  is 


270  HAMPSHIRES. 

remarkably  padded  with  an  excellent  quality  of  mutton.  The  fleece  is 
longer  than  that  of  the  Southdown,  and  of  a  quality  somewhat  coarser ; 
but  as  a  rule,  considering  the  greater  size  of  the  breed,  the  Hampshire 
Downs  do  not  shear  so  heavy  a  fleece  ;  an  average  clip  for  high-class 
flocks  might  be  placed  at  five  to  seven  pounds. 

The  prominent  characteristic  of  the  Hampshire  breed  lies  in  the 
remarkable  precocity  of  the  lambs,  which  frequently  increase  from  15 
or  16  pounds  at  birth  to  140  or  150  pounds  at  seven  or  eight  months  ; 
and  their  excellence  in  this  respect  has  led  to  the  use  of  Hampshire 
rams  in  producing  early  lambs  for  city  market. 

The  Hampshire  Down  Breeders'  Association  of  America — John  I. 
Gordon,  secretary,  Mercer,  Pa. — has  adopted  the  following  Scale  of 
Points  : 

Head — size  and  shape,  5  ;  ears  and  eyes,  2  ;  color,  5  ;  legs   and  feet,  3 15 

Neck  shoulders  and  breast — neck,  5  ;  shoulders,    10  ;  chest  and  breast,  15     ....  30 

Body — back  and  loin,  15  ;  ribs,  5 20 

Quarters — length,  10  ;  width,    10  ;  twist,  5 25 

Wool — forehead  and  cheeks,  2  ;    belly,  well  covered,  3  ;   quality,  5 10 

Perfection 100 

Secretary  Gordon  writes  that  "Vol.  II.  Flock  Record  will  be 
published  in  January,  1893,  and  will  contain  the  pedigrees  of  something 
over  1,200  animals." 


Chapter   LIV. 


OXFORDSHIRES. 

The  Oxfords  should  stand  between  the  "Downs"  and  "Long- 
wools"  in  their  classification,  the  tendency  being  more  toward  the  latter. 
They  originated  about  1830,  by  crossing  the  improved  Cotswold  with 
the  Hampshire.  Probably  the  Southdown  was  used  in  the  mixture, 
to  some  small  extent,  but  the  two  breeds  first  mentioned  may  be  looked 
upon  as  the  parent  stock.  The  wool  is  more  marked  by  the  Cotswold's 
combing  quality,  while  the  dark  faces  and  legs  show  unmistakable 
evidence  of  the  Hampshire  blood. 

The  Oxfordshire  breed  first  came  into  public  notice  about  1850  to 
1860,  during  which  time  the  best  flocks  were  found  in  the  shire  of  Ox- 
ford. Since  that  date,  their  excellent  qualities  have  given  them  a  foot- 
hold in  almost  every  county  of  England.  In  America,  they  are  not  so 
widely  known  as  some  other  breeds,  but  a  Register  has  been  established, 
and  the  breed  has  been  pushed  forward  rapidly.  We  understand,  also, 
that  a  number  of  Oxfords  have  been  brought  to  the  Southwest,  and  that 
they  are  giving  excellent  satisfaction. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Color  of  face  and  legs  dark  brown,  with  a  grayish  tinge,  inclining  to 
drab  ;  head  medium  to  large,  with  a  tuft  'of  wool  at  the  forehead, 
standing  out  more  from  the  head  and  not  so  long  as  in  the  Cotswold  ; 
the  forehead  is  very  broad  and  full ;  ears  set  low  and  well  back  ;  eyes 
large,  and  muzzle  finely  pointed.  The  fleece  is  not  so  long  as  that  of 
the  Cotswold — being  about  five  to  seven  inches — but  is  closer  and  finer, 
with  much  the  same  tendency  to  curl,  and  stands  well  out  from  the 
body. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  has  been  adopted  by  the  Oxford 
Down  Record  Association  : 

Head 8      Forward 37 

Face 4      Breast 10 

Nostrils I      Fore  Flank 5 

Eyes 2      Back  and  Loin 12 

Ears 4      Belly •    •     3 

Collar 6      Quarters 8 

•Shoulder 8      Hock 2 

.Fore  Legs 4      Twist  or  junction 6 

Fleece 17 


Forward 37 


Perfection 100 

271 


272 


OXFORDSHIRES. 


OXFORDSHIRES.  273 

The  Oxfordshire  is  a  well  made,  round  bodied,  short  legged,  mutton 
and  wool  combined  sheep.  In  size  it  about  equals  the  Hampshire;  an 
average  weight  for  mature  breeding  rams  might  be  placed  between  200 
and  225  pounds,  while  two-year-old  fat  wethers  are  frequently  found 
weighing  upwards  of  275  to  300  pounds.  The  Oxford  is  said  to  stand 
herding  upon  wet  or  spongy  range  better  than  any  other  breed  of  sheep, 
and  from  the  fact  that  its  original  home  at  the  base  of  the  Cotswold 
Hills  was  just  such  a  wet,  springy  locality,  we  are  inclined  to  credit  the 
statement. 

We  are  pleased  to  present  the  excellent  portrait  from  life  of  the  ram 
Freeland,  220,  and  four  of  his  sons,  kindly  furnished  us  by  Mr.  W.  A. 
Shafor,  of  Middletown,  Ohio,  a  breeder  of  Oxfords,  and  secretary  of  the 
American  Oxford  Down  Record,  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  many 
favors.  Freeland  was  bred  by  Mr.  Milton  Druse,  of  Fyfield,  England, 
and  at  two  years  of  age  — when  imported  by  T.  S.  Cooper,  of  Cor>p- 
ersburg,  Pa. — weighed  425  pounds. 


18 


Chapter  LV. 


COTSWOLDS. 

The  Cotswold  breed  is  very  old  and  firmly  fixed  in  its  characteristics. 
It  is  said  to  have  been  introduced  into  England  from  Spain  in  the  Twelfth 
Century;  the  statement  is  only  a  supposition,  however,  probably  based 
on  the  fact  that  Spain  possesses  a  breed  of  Longwools  not  unlike  the 
old  unimproved  Cotswolds.  Certain  it  is  that  in  the  Thirteenth  Century 
Cotswold  wool  was  known  and  valued  in  England,  and  found  a  place  as 
such  in  wool  quotations.  In  1467,  permission  was  granted  as  a  royal 
favor  by  the  King,  Henry  IV.,  to  export  some  of  these  sheep  to  Spain, 
a  fact  which  illustrates  the  high  favor  Cotswolds  had  obtained  at  that  date. 

Improvement  of  the  breed  was  mainly  effected  after  Bakewell's 
time,  by  using  the  Leicester  as  a  cross;  this  gave  a  greater  aptitude  to 
fatten,  smoothness,  quality  and  appearance,  without  injuring  the  hardy 
constitution  of  the  old  Cotswold  breed.  In  America  the  breed  has  be- 
come widely  known,  and  is  in  general  favor  as  a  combined  wool  and 
mutton  sheep. 

Probably  the  first  large  importation  was  made  about  1840,  at  which 
time  some  70  or  80  head  were  brought  over ;  since  that  date  numerous 
flocks  have  been  founded,  and  the  original  excellence  of  imported  ani- 
mals ha^  been  fully  sustained  by  American  breeders. 

DESCRIPTION    AND     CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  of  face  and  legs  white  or  light  grayish;  fleece  (combing)  eight 
to  10  inches  long,  pure  white,  and  weighing  from  10  to  16  pounds  for 
an  average  clip.  In  size  the  Cotswold  ranks  among  the  large  breeds, 
ranging  from  250  to  275  pounds,  and  occasionally  a  specimen  dressing 
over  300  pounds.  The  head  is  strong  and  large,  with  a  somewhat  "Ro- 
man" nose,  no  horns,  and  a  characteristic  forelock  of  long  curling  wool 
hanging  over  the  forehead;  the  back  is  broad  and  flat,  and  the  wool  falls 
away,  naturally  parted,  from  the  center;  the  legs  are  of  medium  length, 
with  rather  heavy  bone,  but  clean  and  trim  withal,  and  the  feet  'are  sound 
and  said  to  be  not  subject  to  foot  diseases.  The  Cotswolds  are  large, 
handsome,  long-wooled  sheep — prime  for  mutton  and  furnishing  an  ex- 
cellent quality  of  combing  wool.  They  have  been  extensively  used  in 
crosses,  and  have  already  figured  in  the  origin  of  several  well-known 

274 


COTSWOLDS. 


275 


276 


COTSWOLDS. 


COTSWOLDS.  277 

breeds.     They  are  not  so  prolific  as  some  other  varieties,  but  the  ewes 
are  good  mothers,  and  the  flock  will  thrive  with  ordinary  management. 

The  followirg  Scale  of  Points,  to  be  used  in  connection  with  de- 
scription given,  is  taken  from  Volume  III.  of  the  American  Cotswold 
Record,  George  Harding,  Waukesha,  Wis.,  secretary: 

EWE.  RAM. 

8 Head 8 

4 Face 4 

i Nostrils i 

2 Eyes 2 

4 Ears 4 

5 Collar 6 

8 Shoulders 8 

4 Fore  Legs 4 

10 Breast 10 

4 Fore  Flank 5 

12 Back  and  Loin 12 

5 Belly 3 

8 Quarters 8 

2 Hock 2 

5 Twist 5 

i 8  .  .  Fleece.    .  .  18 


100 Perfection 100 

The  animals  represented  in  illustrations  are  from  the  flock  of  T.  L. 
Miller,  Beecher,  111.  Mr.  Miller  requests  us  to  say,  however,  that  he  is 
not  now  breeding  Cotswolds,  his  entire  time  being  devoted  to  Hereford 
cattle. 


Chapter  LVI. 


LEICESTERS. 

The  improved  Leicester  is  peculiarly  the  result  of  Mr.  Bakewell's 
wonderful  skill  as  a  breeder,  and  its  origin  and  improvement  may  be 
best  studied  by  a  short  review  of  Bakewell's  methods  as  employed  in 
improving  and  fixing  the  type  of  the  Leicester  breed.  Mr.  Bakewell 
lived  at  Dishley,  in  Leicestershire,  England,  and  about  1750  began  to 
apply  himself  to  the  improvement  of  sheep  in  his  locality.  His  plan 
was  to  select  from  different  flocks,  without  regard  to  size,  the  sheep 
which  showed  greatest  aptitude  to  fatten  with  least  appearance  of  excess 
of  bone  and  offal,  and  he  regarded  the  fleece  as  of  secondary  importance. 

From  Youatt  "On  Sheep  "  we  quote  : 

"  The  sort  of  sheep,  therefore,  which  Mr.  Bakewell  selected  were  those  possessed  of 
the  most  perfect  symmetry  with  the  greatest  aptitude  to  fatten,  and  rather  smaller  in 
size  than  the  sheep  then  generally  bred.  Having  formed  his  stock  from  sheep  so  selected, 
he  carefully  attended  to  the  peculiarities  of  the  individuals  from  which  he  bred ;  and,  it 
appears,  did  not  object  to  breeding  from  near  relatives,  when,  by  so  doing,  he  put 
together  animals  likely  to  produce  a  progeny  possessing  the  characteristics  that  he  wished 
to  obtain.  Mr.  Bakewell  has  been  supposed  by  some  persons  to  have  formed  the  New 
Leicester  variety  by  crossing  different  sorts  of  sheep  ;  but  there  does  not  appear  to  be 
any  reason  for  believing  this ;  and  the  circumstance  of  the  New  Leicesters  varying  in 
their  appearance  and  qualities  so  much  as  they  do  from  the  other  varieties  of  long-wooled 
sheep  can  by  no  means  be  considered  as  proving  that  such  was  the  system  which  he 
adopted." 

It  has  been  stated,  however,  that  Mr.  Bakewell  used  sheep  of  six  or 
seven  different  breeds,  and  that  at  one  time,  a  magnificent  black  ram 
was  found  hidden  away  in  a  pen  at  his  place.  We  are  inclined  to 
believe  that  the  general  reticence  as  to  his  methods — amounting  almost 
to  apparent  selfishness — which  he  observed,  led  to  a  great  deal  of  unwar- 
ranted suspicion  and  surmising.  The  account  given  by  Youatt  seems 
more  reasonable,  and  especially  so,  since  it  is  a  now  well-known  prin- 
ciple of  breeding,  that  judicious  selection,  combined  with  proper  care  of 
breeding  animals,  may — without  admixture  of  other  blood — entirely 
change  the  appearance  and  character  of  a  breed. 

Having  thus  far  established  his  flock,  Mr.  Bakewell  pursued  the 
plan  of  hiring  out  rams  to  the  neighboring  breeders — a  plan,  by  the  way, 
which  was  beneficial  to  himself  in  permitting  a  wider  range  for  selection 
of  his  breeding  stock,  and  to  the  farmers,  by  permitting  a  change  of 
rams  at  minimum  expense — and  in  this  way  continued  until  the  Lei- 

278 


LE1CESTERS. 


279 


28o 


LEICESTERS. 


LEICESTERS.  28 1 

cester  breed  was  firmly  fixed,  both  in  character  and  popularity.  What- 
ever may  be  said  of  Mr.  Bakewell's  selfish  reserve  regarding  his  plan  of 
breeding,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  he  has  done  great  good  in  improving 
the  modern  breeds  of  sheep — a  statement  more  easily  believed  when  we 
realize  that  the  New  or  Improved  Leicester  has  had  much  to  do  in 
improving  nearly  all  of  the  modern  mutton  breeds. 

In  America  the  Leicesters  have  not  been  extensively  bred  and 
advertised,  although  in  Canada  they  are  much  better  known  and  appre- 
ciated than  in  the  United  States.  The  first  importation  of  which  we 
have  any  record  was  made  by  Christopher  Dunn,  of  Albany,  New  York, 
in  1812,  and  there  are,  perhaps,  not  over  a  score  of  breeders — on  any- 
thing like  an  extensive  scale — in  the  United  States  to-day,  and  none,  at 
least  to  our  knowledge,  in  the  South.  An  American  Leicester  Breeders' 
Association  has  been  organized,  with  A.  J.  Temple,  of  Cameron.  111., 
secretary 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  of  face  and  legs  white  ;  head  small  and  clean,  with  tuft  of 
wool  at  forehead  (not  so  long  as  in  case  of  Cotswold)  ;  the  eyes  are 
bright ;  ears  of  good  size,  placed  well  back  ;  neck  and  shoulders  square 
and  deep  ;  back  straight,  with  deep  carcass  ;  hind  quarters  not  so  full 
and  square  as  in  the  Cotswold,  but  fairly  well  padded,  and  legs  clean 
and  fine-boned.  Mr.  Wm.  Rivers,  a  prominent  breeder  of  both  Lei- 
cesters and  Southdowns  in  Canada,  writes  us  under  date  July  2,  1888, 
as  follows  : 

"  The  flesh  (of  the  Leicester)  is  juicy,  but  of  moderate  quality,  and  is  remarkable  for 
the  amount  of  outside  fat  it  carries.  They  are  not  considered  so  hardy  as  other  large 
breeds,  and  require  shelter  and  good  keep.  We  have  found  the  ewes  to  be  prolific  and 
good  mothers,  but  the  young  lambs  require  more  attention  than  those  of  the  Southdown. 
Early  maturity  and  aptitude  to  fatten  are  the  principal  characteristics  of  the  breed." 

We  may  add  that  some  other  breeders  have  not  found  the  Lei- 
cesters prolific,  and  it  is  generally  believed  that  prolificacy  is  not  one  of 
the  Leicester's  strong  claims. 

The  Leicester  fleece  is  classed  with  the  long  wools  (combing) — 
showing  a  staple  of  from  six  to  ten  inches,  and  high-class  flocks  shear- 
ing an  average  of  eight  or  nine  pounds.  In  size,  they  are  among  the 
large  breeds — fat  two-year-old  wethers  weighing  from  230  to  260 
pounds,  and  mature  breeding  rams  about  190  to  215  pounds. 

Of  our  illustrations,  one  represents  a  group  of  Canada-bred  sheep, 
engraved  after  a  sketch  from  life ;  the  other  represents  a  ewe,  bred  and 
raised  in  England. 


Chapter  LVII. 


LINCOLNS. 

Like  the  Leicester,  this  breed  is  a  very  old  one,  made  over.  The 
old  native  sheep  of  Lincolnshire,  England,  was  a  big,  gaunt,  raw-boned 
animal — capable  of  feeding  to  enormous  weight,  but  requiring  a  large 
amount  of  food,  and  a  long  time  to  accomplish  it.  After  Bakewell's 
time,  Lincoln  breeders  began  to  use  Leicester  rams  to  improve  their 
flocks,  with  the  result  of  decreasing  size  and  length  of  time  required  to 
mature ;  increasing  at  the  same  time  quality  of  flesh  and  wool,  and 
aptitude  to  fatten. 

So  excellent  was  the  basis  and  so  great  the  improvement,  that  from 
1860  (at  which  date  the  Lincoln  breed  was  first  given  a  separate  class) 
to  1870,  the  majority  of  prizes  for  long-wooled  sheep  at  English  fairs 
were  taken  by  the  Lincolns.  In  America  they  have  long  been  bred  in 
a  small  way,  but  there  are  as  yet  few  breeders  of  any  prominence. 
Canada  leads  the  United  States  in  numbers  of  both  Lincolns  and  Lei- 
cesters,  and  most  of  the  flocks  now  in  the  United  States  are  descended 
from  Canada  bred  or  Canada  imported  stock.  Geary  Brothers  have  a 
fine  flock  of  Lincolns  at  London,  Ontario,  Canada,  and  as  they  also 
have  a  farm  at  Brookfield,  Missouri — where  their  large  Aberdeen- 
Angus  and  English  shire  interests  are  located — it  is  presumable  that 
the  Lincoln  sheep  will  eventually  become  pretty  well  scattered  and 
favorably  known,  at  least  in  Missouri.  There  are  also  flocks  of  some 
size  in  Minnesota,  Ohio,  Iowa,  Wisconsin  and  Kansas.  An  Ameri- 
can Association  has  been  organized,  with  L.  C.  Graham,  of  Cameron, 
Illinois,  secretary. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  of  face  and  legs  white ;  head  large  and  conspicously  free 
from  wool  at  the  forehead,  which  narrows  somewhat  sharply  backward. 
The  neck  is  of  medium  length,  well  set  on  to  deep  shoulders ;  back 
straight  and  full,  but  not  so  broad  as  in  the  Cotswold  ;  legs  rather  long, 
firm,  large  boned ;  and  general  appearance,  if  not  sprightly,  at  least 
strong  and  vigorous.  The  fleece  is  the  longest  of  the  long  wools  (comb- 
ing), lustrous  in  character,  and  showing  a  staple  from  nine  to  twelve 
inches  in  length.  High-class  flocks  yield  an  annual  clip  of  from  nine 
to  fifteen  pounds  the  fleece. 

282 


LINCOLNS. 


283 


284 


LINCOLN'S. 


LINCOLNS.  285 

In  size,  the  Lincolns  are  classed  as  the  largest  of  modern  breeds — 
fat  two-year-old  wethers  frequently  weighing  upwards  of  300  pounds, 
and  mature  breeding  rams  from  225  to  250  pounds.  From  Consul 
General  Merritt's  Report,  dated  at  London,  England,  March  25,  1884, 
we  clip  the  following  in  reference  to  Lincoln  sheep  : 

"Being  very  broad,  deep  and  compact  in  form,  they  generally  outstrip  the  Cots- 
wolds  in  weight  at  the  Smithfield  Club  Shows,  and  last  December,  the  heaviest  pen  [three 
animals  of  a  kind  taken  collectively]  of  sheep  in  the  Agricultural  Hall  was  that  of  Mr. 
John  Pears,  which  took  first  prize  in  the  Ewe  Class,  the  animals  weighing  nine  cwt., 
two  quarters,  twenty-four  pounds." 

An  average  of  323^3  pounds  per  head. 

The  Lincoln  requires  rich  food  and  plenty  of  it,  but  when  the 
proper  conditions  are  given,  it  would  be  hard  to  find  a  more  profitable 
sheep.  For  the  South,  we  would  hardly  consider  them  valuable — al- 
though it  must  be  admitted  that  the  opinion  is  purely  theoretical,  since 
we  have  no  knowledge  of  any  Lincoln  flocks  in  the  Gulf  states. 

The  large  illustration  represents  the  ram  Rescue,  winner  of  nine 
first  and  four  second  prizes  in  England  and  Canada ;  and  the  two 
shearling  ewes  Daisy  and  Ermine,  winners  of  the  first  and  second 
prizes  respectively  at  no  less  than  five  fairs  or  exhibitions  on  the 
Canada  side;  all  imported  in  1883,  by  Geary  Bros.,  London,  Ontario, 
Canada,  and  Brookfield,  Mo.,  U.  S.  A. 

The  ram,  Lord  Preston,  was  bred  and  raised  in  England,  and  the 
engraving  is  the  work  of  English  artists. 


Chapter  LVIII. 


HINTS     ON    SELECTION,     CARE     AND    MANAGE- 
MENT  OF   SHEEP. 

The  selection  of  sheep — more  than  any  other  race  of  domestic  ani- 
mals— requires  strict  regard  to  the  purpose  for  which  they  are  desired. 
In  the  chapters  under  Part  Third  we  have  tried  to  give  an  accurate  de- 
scription of  each  of  the  modern  breeds,  and  have  stated  in  brief  the 
peculiar  conditions  under  which  each  breed  will  give  best  returns.  With 
these  hints  already  before  us,  it  is  unnecessary  to  treat  further  of  selec- 
tion of  breed  than  to  say:  Each  party  must  first  determine  the  purpose 
for  which  he  desires  sheep — whether  for  mutton  or  for  wool,  or  for  both 
combined — by  a  careful  study  of  his  market  facilities,  both  as  to  rela- 
tive demand  and  price  for  mutton  and  wool,  and  also  as  to  relative  ship- 
ping charges  in  transporting  either  to  market.  Having  once  reached 
a  decision  on  above,  and  after  carefully  studying  the  characteristics  of 
the  different  breeds  of  sheep,  and  comparing  the  needs  of  each  with  the 
conditions  of  climate,  soil  and  food  which  obtain  in  his  immediate  lo- 
cality, he  is  then  ready  to  select  the  breed  with  something  like  an  intelli- 
gent judgment. 

The  man  who  tries  raising  sheep  because  he  thinks  "sheep  are  not 
worth  much  anyway,  and  if  a  few  die  it  is  no  great  loss,"  had  best 
obtain  more  sense  before  investing  his  dollars.  There  is  nothing  in  the 
live  stock  line  which  demands  such  close  calculation,  and  such  an  inti- 
mate knowledge  of  the  business,  as  the  breeding  and  handling  of  sheep. 
It  is  a  common  saying  that  "the  ram  is  half  the  flock,"  and  it  might  be 
stated  with  equal  force  that  the  shepherd  is  the  other  half.  It  is  really  of 
great  importance  that  the  shepherd  in  charge  of  the  flock  be  a  man  who 
thoroughly  understands  his  work,  and  such  a  man  must  be  sought  among 
those  who  have  "grown  up  in  the  sheep  pen."  To  graduate  in  the 
School  of  Experience  requires  many  years,  but  the  course,  when  com- 
pleted, is  of  incalculable  value.  It  is  not  every  man  that  can  have  the 
advantage  of  early  boyhood  training  in  this  direction,  but  if  a  prac- 
tical shepherd  can  be  secured,  he  may  still  be  able  to  handle  sheep  with 
reasonable  success. 

In  selecting  service  rams,  the  breeder  should  aim  to  secure  perfec- 
tion in  shape  and  fleece,  rather  than  excess  of  weight.  An  unusually  large 
ram  may  produce  some  very  large  lambs,  but  he  will  also  produce  very 

286 


HINTS     ON     SELECTION,     CARE     AND     MANAGEMENT     OF     SHEEP.  287 

many  small  ones;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  a  short-coupled,  close  made, 
smooth  and  even,  but  smaller  ram  will  breed  with  much  greater  uni- 
formity. The  head  of  the  stock  ram  should  always  be  small  in  propor- 
tion to  the  body;  the  legs  firm  but  not  large ;  the  back  and  loin  well  pad- 
ded with  mutton  and  covered  densely  with  wool  of  even  length,  and  the 
general  appearance  and  style  should  be  brisk  and  sprightly — a  lazy  look- 
ing, "droopy"  ram,  as  a  rule,  is  not  a  strong  breeder.  Light  but  strong 
bones  are  much  to  be  desired  in  a  sheep,  and  large  bones  are  always  ob- 
jectionable. If  the  head  is  too  large — unless  bred  to  ewes  unusually 
broad  and  deep  in  the  pelvic  region — much  trouble  will  result  at  lamb- 
ing time,  and  considerable  loss  may  be  incurred. 

The  ewe  should  be  selected  with  reference  to  type  of  the  breed  to 
which  she  belongs,  and,  especially  if  bred  to  produce  a  certain  result, 
should  exhibit  the  peculiar  characteristics  which  the  breeder  aims  to  se- 
cure. The  primary  purpose  of  the  ewe  being  that  of  a  mother,  she  should 
be  chosen  with  especial  reference  to  her  capacity  to  carry  and  nourish  the 
foetus,  and  produce  milk  for  the  lamb.  Ewes  are  like  cows — some  are 
good  milkers,  but  many  are  poor  in  this  respect,  and  the  external  signs 
of  milking  excellence  are  much  the  same  in  both.  A  feminine  appear- 
ance of  the  head,  wide,  open  pelvis,  and  body  deep  at  the  flank,  and 
marks  which  should  always  guide  in  selection  of  the  ewe. 

We  are  not  of  opinion  that  the  ordinary  sheep  farmer  will  have  very 
great  success  with  thoroughbred  flocks  of  any  breed;  but  we  cannot  urge 
too  strongly  the  use  of  thoroughbred  rams  in  grading  up  the  hardy  na- 
tive or  mixed-bred  sheep  common  to  different  sections  of  the  country. 
Mixed-bred  flocks  receive  very  kindly  the  blood  of  any  of  the  improved 
breeds,  and  it  is  only  a  question  of  result  desired  as  to  what  breed  of  ram 
should  be  selected.  As  a  rule,  wherever  dry,  scant  ranges  are  found — 
especially  in  warm  climates — wool  will  be  more  profitable  than  mutton, 
and  no  sheep  will  succeed  better  than  the  Merino.  Where  land  is  more 
fertile,  and  food  in  consequence  more  abundant,  a  combination  of  mut- 
ton and  wool  may  be  found  more  profitable ;  for  such  conditions  as  are 
found  in  the  upper  portion  of  the  Mississippi  Valley,  the  "middle-wools" 
have  held  the  field  against  all  others;  and  in  the  same  section  it  has  been 
found  profitable,  when  flocks  of  short-wool  basis  were  already  present, 
to  use  compact  rams  of  the  long-wool  breeds — combining  in  this  way 
the  hardy  characters  of  the  former  with  the  size  and  mutton  capacity  of 
the  latter,  and  producing  a  middle-wool  flock  with  least  expenditure  of 
time  and  money. 

To  improve  a  flock  requires,  primarily,  an  accurate  knowledge  of  the 
type  desired.  The  improver  must  carry  in  his  mind's  eye,  a  picture  of 
the  sheep  he  wishes  to  produce,  and  every  animal  of  either  sex  which 
he  employs  to  accomplish  his  purpose  must  be  selected  by  comparison 
with  this  ideal  type.  He  must  remember  that  it  takes  time  to  accom- 


288  HINTS    ON    SELECTION,     CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    SHEEP. 

plish  much  in  the  way  of  improvement,  and  that  he  cannot  expect  to  se- 
cure in  any  two,  or  even  three  or  four  animals,  all  the  points — in  perfec- 
tion— which  he  wishes  combined  in  one  individual.  Above  all,  let  it  be 
remembered  that  the  most  careful  and  judicious  selection  may  be  set  at 
naught  by  ignorant  or  careless  management  of  the  breeding  flock;  sheep 
are  delicate  property,  and  while  with  breeders  of  any  race  of  domestic 
animals  careful  attention  is  a  paying  investment,  with  the  breeder  of 
sheep  it  becomes  a  most  essential  factor  of  success. 

The  student  will  find  it  profitable  to  make  a  careful  study  of  the 
actual  methods  employed  by  successful  breeders  in  different  parts  of  the 
country,  and  to  this  end  we  invite  attention  to  the  following  letters: 

Shropshires. 

"  FAIRVIEW  FARM,   WOODVILLE,   ONT.,   July  25,  ja<*8. 
*    *     *     * 

"  Ewes,  if  at  all  low  in  condition,  are  prepared  for  turning  to  the  ram  by  feeding  a 
little  mixed  grain — two-thirds  oats  and  one-third  peas — once  daily.  It  is  thought  by  many 
practical  flock  owners  that  ewes  gaining  in  flesh  when  being  served  give  a  larger  number 
of  twins.  The  bucks  are  usually  let  to  them  about  the  first  of  September  for  early  lambs, 
and  in  October  for  a  later  lot.  As  my  flocks  are  all  pure-bred  Shropshires,  the  object  in 
having  lambs  dropped  so  early  is  to  have  them  well  forward  for  exhibiting  in  the  fall,  but 
it  is  also  the  most  profitable  way  of  raising  market  lambs,  as  about  Easter  good  ones  bring 
double  the  price  of  those  marketed  two  months  later.  During  the  late  fall  the  flock  is 
allowed  into  its  winter  quarters  at  night,  but  is  not  kept  yarded  until  the  snow  covers  the 
ground. 

"The  winter  feeding  until  lambing  time  is  as  follows:  Pea-straw  from  peas  cut 
before  being  fully  ripe  is  fed  in  the  morning,  three  pounds  of  turnips  per  ewe  at  noon, 
and  a  full  feed  of  clover  hay  at  night,  with  abundance  of  good,  clean  water.  No  grain  is 
fed  at  this  period  except  a  small  daily  allowance  of  mixed  oats  and  bran  to  thin  ewes. 
During  the  winter  they  are  not  closely  housed,  but  have  an  open  shed  to  shelter  them 
from  storms  and  wet,  with  yards  attached  for  exercise,  but  separate  from  all  other  stock. 

"During  our  cold  winter  weather  warm  quarters  are  necessary  for  lambing,  but 
when  the  lambs  are  two  weeks  old,  they  run  into  the  sheds  and  yards.  After  the  lambs 
are  dropped,  the  ewes  are  carefully  tended  ;  warm  drinks  of  water,  bran  and  a  sprinkle  of 
salt  are  given  thrice  daily,  and  clover  hay.  The  third  day,  oat  and  pea  meals  are  added 
to  the  bran,  when  the  water  used  for  moistening  may  be  cool  (but  not  too  cool),  and  three 
pounds  of  mangel-wurzel  are  given  daily.  The  slop  is  increased  in  quantity,  until  all 
that  is  eaten  at  once  is  fed  morning  and  night,  and  tne  roots  are  increased  to  six  pounds 
for  a  noon  feed,  with  a  full  supply  of  clover  hay  and  water.  This  liberal  feeding  induces 
a  heavy  flow  of  milk,  just  what  is  required  to  make  the  lambs  grow  rapidly  at  that  stage, 
and  the  ewes,  as  well,  will  often  gain  in  condition.  When  the  lambs  are  three  weeks 
old,  a  separate  division  is  provided  for  them  to  run  in  at  will,  where  a  mixture  of 
ground  oats,  peas,  and  also  bran,  with  oil  cake  [linseed]  added  later  on,  is  fed.  When 
turned  to  grass,  the  ewes  are  given  some  dry  grain  for  a  week  or  two,  and  when  early  for- 
ward lambs  are  wanted,  the  mixture  is  continued  all  summer.  Whether  pre-maturity  is 
wanted  or  not,  all  lambs  are  given  an  allowance  of  grain  after  weaning,  about  the  i5th  of 
July  or  August  i.  By  this  system,  Fairview  flock  has  produced  yearly  averages  per  ewe 
of  il/i  to  i^  lambs,  some  weighing,  year  after  year  in  September,  130  pounds,  and  in 
1883,  a  ram  lamb,  dropped  in  February,  was  exhibited  from  this  flock  at  the  Industrial 
Exhibition,  Toronto,  Canada,  which  weighed  175  pounds  in  September. 


HINTS     ON     SELECTION,     CARE     AND     MANAGEMENT     OF     SHEEP.  289 

"  As  a  rule,  ram  lambs  are  not  used,  though  no  doubt  an  early,  well  developed  one  is 
quite  capable  of  serving  a  dozen  to  twenty  ewes  without  hurt,  and  with  good  results. 
When  used  on  a  large  flock — 40  to  60  ewes — he  is  not  allowed  constantly  with  them  ;  is 
kept  apart,  fed  whole  oats  and  peas,  with  bran  added,  and  turned  to  the  flock  a  short  time 
each  evening.  With  half  the  number  a  mature  buck  is  run  the  whole  day  with  the  flock, 
kept  separate  at  night,  and  fed  grain. 

"The  winter  care  of  rams  is  similar  to  that  given  ewes  before  lambing,  with  the 
exception  of  double  the  quantity  of  roots  being  fed  ;  and  also  some  grain,  if  more  than 
ordinary  condition  is  required,  as  for  show  purposes,  or  for  pushing  on  lambs  to  earlier 
maturity  as  shearlings. 

"Shearing  is  generally  done  before  the  sheep  are  turned  to  grass,  in  the  beginning 
of  May,  though  sometimes,  if  the  weather  is  favorable,  the  wool  is  taken  off  a  month 
earlier  than  that  date.  To  keep  the  wool  in  good  condition  and  prevent  its  being  pulled, 
because  of  ticks  or  skin  disease,  the  flock  is  dipped  with  tobacco  water,  or  one  of  the 
patent  sheep  dips,  early  in  the  fall,  while  the  weather  is  mild.  The  lambs  are  dipped  pre- 
viously in  May,  when  tobacco  water  is  preferred,  as  it  does  not  injure  the  tender  skin, 
which  the  others  are  apt  to  do.  After  shearing,  each  fleece  is  carefully  spread  on  a  table, 
skin  side  downwards,  all  tags  removed,  and  the  sides  folded  toward  the  center  until  about 
18  inches  in  width,  when  it  is  tightly  rolled  from  the  tail  end,  and  a  rope  twisted  from  the 
neck  end,  with  which  the  fleece  is  tied  up.  When  tidily  done,  it  can  be  handled  without 
breaking,  and  the  manufacturer  can  sort  at  will. 

"Very  truly,  JOHN  R.   CAMPBELL,   JR." 

In  Mr.  Campbell's  letter  we  have  a  clear  exposition  of  the  manner 
of  handling  sheep  in  a  cold  country,  and  one  which  cannot  fail  to  be  of 
value,  not  only  to  the  breeders  of  sheep  in  a  similar  climate,  but  to 
breeders  in  any  latitude.  The  object  in  breeding  sheep  is  to  make 
money,  and  the  point  with  mutton  producers  is  to  secure  great  weight 
at  an  early  age ;  Mr.  Campbell  explains  very  clearly  the  double  advan- 
tage he  derives  from  this  early  forcing  process  and  shows  a  close 
acquaintance  with  the  profit  side  of  sheep  account. 

American  Merinos. 

STANBERRY,   Mo.,  July  23,   1888. 
*        •*        *        * 

"Commencing  at  breeding  time,  when  the  ewes  are  supposed  to  be  in  lamb,  the 
rams  are  separated  from  the  ewes,  generally  keeping  all  the  rams  in  one  fold,  and  in  good 
thriving  condition  ;  never  allowing  any  to  get  thin  in  flesh,  usually  feeding  regularly  on 
the  best  of  clover  and  timothy  hay  whenever  they  desire  to  eat  it  ;  if  this  and  the  pas- 
turage— which  should  be  of  the  best,  and  always  with  pure  water,  easily  accessible — is 
insufficient  for  the  growth  of  flesh,  we  give  at  least  once  per  day  a  feed  of  grain,  about 
one  gill  to  half  pint  each — a  mixture  of  three  parts  oats  and  one  wheat. 

"Through  the  breeding  season,  such  feeding  ought  to  be  nearly,  if  not  quite,  doubled 
for  rams.  A  remunerative  plan  is  to  separate  the  rams  at  night  from  the  sight  of  the 
ewes,  and  to  these  as  to  all  other  sheep,  give  thin  feed,  of  a  wholesome  quality,  and  in  a 
strictly  clean  place,  with  ample  room  for  all  to  feed  without  crowding.  None  of  the 
brute  creation  is  naturally  more  cleanly,  and  consequently  for  profit  such  rules  must  be 
adhered  to. 

"  With  the  ram,  constitution  and  vitality  cover  60  out  of  the  100  points,  and  from  the 
lot  the  most  vigorous  and  strong  (other  things  being  equal)  are  selected  for  service. 
Ewes,  after  having  been  bred,  are  allowed  or  required  to  take  more  of  gentle  exercise, 
with  an  abundant  amount  of  nutritious  pasture,  and  are  supplied  with  well  cured  and 

19 


2QO  HINTS     ON     SELECTION,     CARE     AND     MANAGEMENT     OF     SHEEP. 

timely  prepared  roughness,  from  grass,  corn  fodder,  small  grain  straw,  etc.,  to  supply  any 
deficiency  caused  by  frosts  or  drouth  ;  if  necessary  to  keep  or  put  into  good,  strong  flesh, 
be  sure  to  add  a  grain  feed,  proportionate  to  the  needs ;  300  well  kept  ewes  will  shear 
annually  more  wool  and  raise  more  lambs  than  500  half  starved.  Especially  at  the 
approach  of  the  lambing  season  do  the  ewes  need  extra  care  and  feed.  When  the  herds- 
man says  '  the  ewes  do  not  own  the  lambs,'  he  ought  to  be  informed  that  the  flock-master 
does  not  own  his  sheep,  for  '  tis  the  full  udder  that  calls  for  the  lamb,'  and  the  dam  can 
only  supply  to  her  offspring  from  what  has  first  been  given  her.  In  proportion  to  the 
desire  for  the  growth  of  the  lambs  should  be  the  food  supply  to  the  ewes.  If  the  lambs 
are  intended  for  mutton,  they  ought  to  be  encouraged  to  eat  of  grain  as  young  as  possible, 
say  from  eight  to  twelve  weeks  old,  and  all  lambs  will  grow  and  thrive  best  that  are 
weaned  at  about  five  or  six  months  of  age.  They  should  be  separated  from  their  dams, 
and  put  on  the  most  succulent  pasture,  and  fed  partially  on  grain  for  the  first  winter — for 
stock  sheep,  an  amount  sufficient  for  good  thrift  and  growth  ;  for  the  block  or  shambles, 
as  much  as  is  readily  consumed  till  the  butcher  wishes  them,  let  it  be  three  months  or 
three  years. 

' '  Shearing  and  marketing  of  wool  is  an  important  part  of  this  industry,  and  as  a  rule, 
from  one  to  three  cents  per  pound  can  be  gained  or  lost  in  the  way  wool  is  handled,  and 
as  a  rule  from  10  to  20  per  cent .  in  the  time  of  year  this  is  done .  Sheep  ought  to  be  shorn 
earlier  in  the  season  than  is  generally  practiced,  from  which  two  great  advantages  arise  : 
one  is,  that  in  the  fall  of  the  year,  or  when  inclement  weather  comes  on,  the  earlier  shorn 
has  more  protection  ;  and  the  other  is,  the  earlier  shorn  will  give  annually  a  larger  fleece  for 
several  reasons,  among  them  :  (i)  that  a  large  amount  of  wool,  which  some  sheep  natur- 
ally shed,  is  saved  ;  and  (2)  being  clipped,  prevents  the  habit  of  shedding.  I  always  shear 
as  early  as  the  weather  will  permit,  not  minding  the  month  except  for  the  show  sheep, 
which  according  to  the  rules  of  our  associations,  put  the  limit  not  earlier  than  April  ist. 
I  have  never  known  any  losses  to  newly  shorn  sheep  except  from  their  being  exposed  to 
wet,  and  have  known  more  in  June  than  in  March.  At  shearing,  all  impurities  should  be 
clipped  from  the  fleece,  which  should  be  carefully  handled,  not  torn,  and  being  turned 
flesh  side  out  on  a  clean  table,  folded  together  and  rolled  up,  and  tied  with  specially  pre- 
pared twine,  sufficient,  and  only  so,  to  keep  in  place,  after  which  keep  the  wool  clean  from 
dust,  straw  or  other  things,  and  if  one  has  a  desirable  lot  of  wool  with  an  attractive  ap- 
pearance, the  commission  man  will  find  it,  and  the  grower  can  sell  at  home,  and  know 
what  he  gets  for  it.  This  I  have  always  done. 

"Most  truly,  L.   E.   SHATTUCK." 

Mr.  Shattuck  believes  in  early  shearing — a  point  on  which  we  think 
he  is  quite  correct.  If  sheep  are  to  be  shorn  for  a  record  it  is,  of 
course,  necessary  that  some  system  prevail,  by  which  uniformity  may 
be  secured  ;  but  if  a  man  is  breeding  for  dollars  and  cents,  and  without 
regard  to  association  rules,  we  see  no  reason  why  the  shearing  cannot 
be  done  at  least  a  week  earlier  than  is  generally  practiced.  We  are  glad 
to  note  this  point  regarding  milking  quality  in  the  ewe  ;  too  many  over- 
look this,  and  seem  to  regard  the  ewe  as  an  unchangeable  machine — 
capable  of  just  so  much  and  no  more  in  this  direction.  There  is  as 
much  difference  among  ewes  in  milking  quality  as  among  cows  ;  no  one 
would  make  the  mistake  of  breeding  cows  that  could  not  support 
their  calves,  and  yet  this  very  thing  is  overlooked  by  one-half  of  the 
modern  breeders  of  sheep.  Mr.  Shattuck  is  one  of  our  most  successful 
wool  men,  and  his  hints  on  handling  the  fleece  and  marketing  the  wool 
may  be  read  with  profit. 


HINTS     ON     SELECTION,     CARE     AND     MANAGEMENT     OF     SHEEP.  2gi 

American  Merinos. 

SOWERS,  TEXAS,  July  31,   1888. 
*        *        *        * 

"  I  have  300  acres  of  land  located  on  Grapevine  Prairie  ;  the  land  is  high  and  quite 
undulating.  Soil  mostly  gravelly  mesquite  land  ;  all  fenced  sheep  proof,  five  wires — three 
barbed  and  two  smooth — beginning  with  barbed  at  top  and  bottom  ;  posts  16  feet  apart. 
I  began  in  the  spring  of  1885  with  175  head  Michigan-bred  ewes  and  five  rams.  On  the 
aoth,  October  I  begin  breeding  the  ewes.  To  every  100  head  I  turn  in  one  ram  in  the 
morning,  and  take  him  out  at  night.  On  the  second  day  after,  I  return  ram  to  the 
flock,  or  a  fresh  one  in  his  stead.  I  continue  in  this  way  until  all  the  ewes,  or  nearly 
all,  are  with  lamb,  then  I  allow  one  or  more  of  my  best  rams  to  remain  with  the  flock 
until  about  Christmas,  when  I  remove  all  the  rams  from  the  ewe  flock  until  the  follow- 
ing October.  My  land  is  divided  into  five  pastures,  all  well  shaded  and  watered.  I  do 
not  allow  my  flock  to  run  more  than  a  month  in  one  pasture  before  changing  them 
around. 

"My  flock  is  divided  into  three  flocks — breeding  ewes,  rams  and  lambs,  and  are 
kept  thus  separated  the  whole  year  round.  I  begin  feeding  as  early  in  the  winter  as 
weather  and  condition  of  flocks  demand,  on  sorghum,  corn  fodder,  prairie  hay,  corn, 
cotton  seed  and  sheaf  oats.  I  limit  myself  to  no  given  amount  per  head,  but  feed,  ac- 
cording to  the  mildness  or  severity  of  the  weather,  about  what  I  think  they  require  and 
will  eat  up  clean.  During  the  cold  and  all  of  the  wet  weather  of  the  year,  I  keep  them 
housed  in  well-built  sheds.  My  lambs  begin  coming  March  aoth,  and  are  generally  all 
through  by  the  first  of  May.  I  castrate  lambs  at  two  to  four  days  old  ;  dock  all  at  about 
one  week  to  ten  days  old,  and  wean  at  four  months.  I  shear  at  about  the  middle  of 
May,  and  sack  the  fleeces  'loose'  in  regular  wool  sacks.  I  have  now  475  head  of  all 
ages — all  full-blood  Merinos.  In  fair  weather,  I  always  feed  liberally  with  salt  and 
sulphur  (one  part  sulphur  to  two  parts  salt),  except  to  ewes  in  pregnancy.  I  shear  but 
once  a  year,  and  fleece  averages  for  entire  flock  from  n  to  12  Ibs. 

"Respectfully  yours,  C.   F.   MILLS." 

We  extend  our  compliments  to  Mr.  Mills  for  the. concise,  clear  and 
full  account  of  his  way  of  handling  sheep.  We  have  not  the  pleasure 
of  a  personal  acquaintance,  but  his  letter  indicates  that  he  understands 
his  business,  and  will  doubtless  succeed. 


yy/1£']%6^--  -v  ^ 

L-V//' '   -./A    </vw  »  vr  ^ -/'.' 


i,  Nose,  or  Snout;  2,  Face,  or  Dish ;  3,  Ears;  4,  Neck;  5,  Shoulder;  6,  Back;  7, 
Rump  :  8,  Tail ;  9,  Ham ;  10,  Lower  Thigh,  Leg  or  Twist ;  n,  Hock,  or  Heel ;  12,  Shank, 
or  Hind  Cannon ;  13,  Onglons,  or  False  Hoofs ;  14,  Hoof,  or  Foot ;  15,  Flank  ;  16, 
Belly  ;  17,  Side  or  Ribs  ;  18,  Girth  ;  19,  Fore-arm  ;  20,  Knee  ;  21,  Cheek,  or  Jowl ;  22, 
Nipples,  or  Dugs. 


292 


PA.RT     FOURTH. 


SWINEX 

LARGE    BREEDS. 

PAGE 

BERKSHIRES Chapter         LIX 294 

POLAND-CHINAS ,    .        "  LX 298 

DUROC-JERSEYS "  LXI 3<DI 

CHESTER-WHITES "  LXII 395 

TODD'S  IMPROVED  CHESTER-WHITES  .  .        "  LXIII 307 

GOTHLANDS "  LXIV 309 

MIDDLE    BREEDS. 

CURTIS  VICTORIAS Chapter        LXV 310 

DAVIS  VICTORIAS "  LXVI 312 

CHESHIRES "  LXVII 314 

SMALL    BREEDS. 

SMALL  YORKSHIRES Chapter  LXVIII 317 

ESSEX "  LXIX 320 

NEAPOLITANS "  LXX 322 

ENGLISH  OR  BLACK  SUFFOLKS    ....        "  LXXI 323 

AMERICAN  OR  WHITE  SUFFOLKS  ....        '•          LXXII 324 

HINTS    ON    SELECTION,    CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT. 
CHAPTER  LXXIII 325 


293 


Chapter  LIX. 


BERKSHIRES. 

As  indicated  by  the  name,  this  variety  of  swine  originated  in  the  county 
or  shire  of  Berk,  England.  The  old  original  Berkshire  was  a  large,  raw- 
boned,  coarse  hog,  with  lop  ears  ;  was  black  and  white  in  color,  with  oc- 
casional red  or  sandy  spots. 

Improvement  of  the  breed  was  begun  about  the  year  1780,  by  cross- 
ing with  the  Chinese  hog  ;  but  it  was  not  until  Lord  Barrington's  time 
(1820-30)  that  the  breed  was  brought  to  any  degree  of  perfection.  (It  is 
stated  by  some  authors,  that  the  Neapolitan  hog  was  the  main  source  of 
Berkshire  improvement ;  this,  however,  is  firmly  denied  by  others,  and  we 
have  nowhere  been  able  to  find  safe  authority  for  the  use  of  the  Neapoli- 
tan at  all  in  this  connection.)  The  methods  pursued  by  Lord  Barring- 
ton  can  only  be  surmised,  but  it  is  certain  that  he  added  much  to  the 
merits  of  the  Berkshire  breed,  and  achieved  a  reputation  fully  proved  by 
the  fact  that  nearly  all  of  the  English  Berkshires  trace  their  ancestry  to 
his  herd. 

Probably  the  first  importation  to  the  United  States  was  made  by  John 
Brentnall,  of  New  Jersey,  in  1823.  Some  years  later,  about  1832,  Sid- 
ney Hayes,  an  English  farmer  residing  near  Albany,  N.  Y. ,  brought  over 
a  few  head.  Since  that  time  numbers  have  been  imported,  and  the  im- 
provement made  by  American  breeders  has  been  so  marked  as  to  cause 
competent  judges  to  decide  in  favor  of  the  American-bred  hog.  Pro- 
fessor James  Long,  in  his  admirable  work,  "The  Book  of  the  Pig," 
speaking  of  breeding  for  exhibition,  says  : 

' '  In  America  the  Berkshire  pig  is  much  more  extensively  bred  than  with  us,  and 
there  is  in  that  country  not  only  a  very  much  larger  number  of  breeders  of  pigs  of  an  ex- 
hibition type,  but  there  is  a  Berkshire  Pig  Association,  which  is  supported  by  a  large 
body  of  members,  although  English  breeders,  to  whom  the  Americans  originally  came  for 
the  foundations  of  their  herds,  have  hitherto  lacked  sufficient  spirit  and  energy  to  carry 
anything  of  the  kind  to  a  successful  issue." 

Although  an  English  variety  of  swine,  we  prefer  to  accept  the  stand- 
ard of  American  breeders  as  outlined  in  the  following 

DESCRIPTION  OF  AMERICAN  BERKSHIRE. 

Color  black,  with  white  feet,  small  white  line  in  face,  and  a  white 
spot  at  tip  of  tail.  (Occasionally  there  is  a  small  splashing  of  white  on 
arm,  and  sometimes  spots  occur  on  other  portions  of  the  body,  but  their 

294 


BERKSHIRES. 


295 


BERKSHIRES. 

presence  is  regarded  with  disfavor,  and  they  are  entirely  excluded  by 
breeders  of  the  more  fashionable  strains. )  The  face  is  short,  fine,  well 
dished  and  broad  between  the  eyes  ;  ears  erect  or  inclining  forward,  stiff  at 
base,  but  so  thin  and  delicate  as  to  shake  and  tremble  with  every  move- 
ment of  the  animal ;  jowl  heavy  ;  neck  short  and  thick  ;  shoulders  deep 
and  full ;  back  broad  and  straight,  or  slightly  arched  ;  long  ribs  well 
sprung,  giving  roundness  of  barrel,  and  short  ribs  long  and  spreading, 
giving  breadth  and  fullness  of  loin.  The  hips  are  long,  heavy,  round 
and  deep,  bearing  their  flesh  well  down  to  the  hock  ;  tail  fine,  small  and 
set  well  up  to  the  sacral  curve  ;  legs  short,  straight,  fine-boned  and  set 
wide  apart  ;  body  medium  to  long  ;  hair  fine,  rather  thin  in  fashionable 
strains,  and  skin  elastic  and  pliable. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  has  been  adopted  by  the  American 
Berkshire  Association  (John  G.  Springer,  of  Springfield,  111.,  secre- 
tary), and  is  now  in  general  use  : 

Color 4 

Face  and  Snout 7 

Eye    .    .    . 

Ear  .    .    .    .    .  -.   .. 

Jowl 

Neck 

Hair 

Skin 

Shoulder 7 

Back  . 


4 

Forward  .    .    .... 

47 

7 

Sides         

6 

2 

Flank  

.    ,    •    •    •        5 

4 

Loin  

9 

4 

Ham  

10 

4 

Tail  

2 

3 

Legs   

......      5 

4 

Symmetry    

6 

7 

Condition     

8 

Style     

,,..-.    ...      5 

Forward 47  Perfection 100 

Secretary  Springer  writes  under  date  December  21,  1892  : 

"*    *Twelve   volumes  of   the   American   Berkshire  Record  have  been  published 

*  *  Volume  XIII.,  for  which  entries  are  being  made,   will  be  closed  in  a  short  time.* 

*  *  The  last  number  recorded  at  this  writing  is  28780. 

"  Among  swine  the  Berkshire  has  continued  to  hold  its  place  in  high  esteem,  and  is 
to-day,  as  has  been  the  case  for  years,  the  standard  for  comparison  of  other  breeds.  The 
Berkshire  in  America  has  in  the  last  few  years  made  great  progress  in  excellence,  so  that  it 
is  thought  that  we  now  have  here  the  best  in  the  world,  and  to  prove  this  our  breeders 
are  quite  anxious  to  come  in  competition  with  English  breeders  at  the  World's  Columbian 
Exposition.*" 

CHARACTERISTICS. 

The  Berkshires  possess  great  muscular  power  and  extraordinary 
activity.  This  latter  feature  is,  indeed,  very  generally  considered  a  serious 
objection,  inasmuch  as  too  great  activity  is  not  conducive  to  an  economical 
production  of  fat.  The  sows  are  noted  for  their  prolificacy,  and  the 
pigs  when  dropped  are  strong  and  lively.  They  may  be  fattened  for 
market  at  any  age  desired,  and  when  continuously  and  properly  fed  attain 
great  size  and  weight.  The  average  live  weight  of  well  kept  shoats  placed 
on  the  market  at  nine  to  twelve  months  old  should  be  from  240  to  300 
pounds.  When  mature,  a  weight  of  from  500  to  650  pounds  is  not  un- 


BERKSHIRES.  297 

common.  Berkshire  boars  when  used  in  crossing — or  in  grading  up 
common  stock — transmit  with  considerable  certainty  all  the  valuable 
qualities  of  their  breed.  The  objections  urged  against  them  may  be 
summed  up  as  follows  :  (i)  They  are  too  nervous  and  excitable,  re- 
quiring very  careful  handling  to  secure  best  results  ;  (2)  their  bone  is 
too  small,  rendering  them  more  liable  to  mishaps — such  as  hip-shot  and 
broken  legs — than  are  the  larger-boned  breeds.  Where  Berkshires  are 
carefully  handled  and  properly  fed,  we  know  of  no  better  variety,  but  in 
the  hands  of  the  ordinary  farmer,  where  attention  is  denied  or  partially 
withheld,  they  cannot  be  accorded  first,  nor  in  our  opinion,  even  second 
place. 

The  illustration,  kindly  furnished  for  our  use  by  the  Western  Agri- 
culturist and  Live  Stock  Journal,  of  Quincy,  111.,  is  a  fair  representation 
of  the  breed. 


Chapter  LX. 


POLAND-CHINAS. 

The  Poland-China  breed  is  one  distinctively  American  in  origin  and 
type,  originating  chiefly  in  Warren  and  Butler  counties,  Ohio,  where 
the  type  was  soon  fixed  by  the  enterprising  breeders  of  that  section. 
It  became  known  as  a  breed  locally  under  various  names — such  as  the 
"Warren  County  Hog"  and  the  ''Big  Spotted" — about  1835  to  1840; 
but  the  now  firmly  established  name,  "Poland-China,"  was  first  offi- 
cially adopted  by  the  National  Swine  Breeders'  Convention,  held  at 
Indianapolis,  Ind. ,  in  1872. 

The  Big  Chinas — large  white  hogs  with  sandy  spots — were  taken 
to  Warren  county  in  1816;  the  Berkshires  were  introduced  about  1830; 
the  Irish  Graziers — white  hogs  with  sandy  eye-spots — about  1839;  and 
the  Byfields — which  are  said  to  resemble  the  Chinas  in  form — about  the 
same  time.  From  a  judicious  blending  of  these  different  breeds  upon 
a  basis  of  the  best  "native"  hogs,  supposed  to  have  descended  largely 
from  original  Poland  stock,  brought  in  by  early  settlers  from  Germany, 
we  have  the  present  Poland-China  breed. 

Improvement  of  the  breed  has  been  largely  the  result  of  private  in- 
dividual enterprise  and  skill,  Mr.  A.  C.  Moore,  now  of  Canton,  111.,  and 
Mr.  D.  M.  Magie,  of  Oxford,  Ohio,  being  especially  deserving  of  notice 
in  this  connection.  So  much,  indeed,  have  their  labors  been  appreciated, 
that  persistent  attempts  have  been  made  by  respective  friends  of  these 
two  gentlemen  to  name  the  breed  "Moore"  or  "Magie,"  instead  of 
Poland-China;  fortunately,  however,  the  name  is  too  firmly  settled  to 
admit  of  change  for  reasons  of  a  personal  nature,  and  the  friends  of 
these  prominent  breeders  must  be  content  with  simple  credit  for  their 
recognized  efficient  work. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Color  black  and  white  spotted,  sometimes  black,  sometimes  white 
predominating;  size  large,  mature  hogs  weighing  from  600  to  750  pounds, 
and  shoats  at  eight  or  nine  months  weighing  upwards  of  250  pounds. 
The  nose  is  medium,  face  neatly  dished,  head  small  in  proportion  to 
body,  with  thin,  drooping  ("lop")  ears  and  full,  heavy  jowl.  The  neck 
is  short,  back  straight,  shoulders  deep,  girth  large,  ribs  well  arched, 
loins  full  and  wide,  hams  very  heavy  and  legs  short,  with  good-sized, 
strong  bone.  In  some  specimens  the  hair  is  decidedly  curly,  but  in  a 

298 


POLAND-CHINAS. 


299 


3OO  POLAND-CHINAS. 

majority  of  cases  the  coat  is  straight  or  at  most  slightly  wavy,  covering 

a  skin  of  similar  color  and  medium  thickness. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  may  be  used  in  connection  with  the 
description  given: 

Nose        4  Forward 51 

Head 4      Back 6 

Width  between  eyes 4      Ribs •  .  q 

Ears. 5      Loins 7 

Jowl 3      Haras 12 

Neck 4      Hair 4 

Shoulders 9      width  of  body 5 

Girth  around  heart 9  Legs.                                                            .    .     6 

Depth  of  body 9 

Forward 51  Perfection 100 

The  scale  has  been  subject  to  a  number  of  changes,  but  the  above, 
we  believe,  has  been  more  generally  accepted  than  other  arrangements 

CHARACTERISTICS. 

The  Poland-China  has  a  stronger  following  among  Western  farmers 
than  has  any  other  breed  of  swine,  and  we  think  justly  so;  they  are 
large,  mature  reasonably  early,  and  long  before  maturity  may  be  turned 
into  pork  at  the  highest  market  price.  They  are  uniformly  quiet,  even 
lazy,  and  never  lose  flesh  by  reason  of  excitability.  They  have  strong, 
firm  bone,  permitting  a  heavy  load  of  fat,  and  rendering  them  less  lia- 
ble to  mishaps  when  placed  with  fattening  steers.  On  the  whole  the 
Western  farmer  can  hardly  find  a  better  hog. 

In  the  South  they  have  not  done  so  well;  reports  from  central  and 
southern  Texas  indicate  that  the  Poland-China  is  out  of  his  element  when 
taken  below  the  central  part  of  the  state,  and  in  this  respect,  must  ad- 
mit the  superiority  of  his  red-haired  brother,  the  Duroc-Jersey.  Our 
illustration  is  an  accurate  picture  of  a  magnificent  trio,  bred  by  the  well- 
known  and  thoroughly  reliable  firm,  A.  C.  Moore  &  Sons,  Canton,  111. 


Chapter  LXI. 


DUROC-JERSEYS. 

In  the  following  history  of  their  origin,  we  are  largely  indebted  to 
the  report  of  Col.  F.  D.  Curtis,  Vol.  I.  of  the  American  Duroc-Jersey 
Record,  compiled  by  the  able  secretary  of  the  Association,  Chas.  H. 
Holmes,  now  of  Beatrice,  Nebraska. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  National  Swine  Breeders'  Association  at 
Indianapolis,  Indiana,  1872,  a  committee  was  appointed  on  "Jersey 
Red  Swine,"  from  whose  report,  as  adopted  by  the  convention,  we  clip 
the  following  : 

"  The  positive  origin  of  this  family  of  swine  is  unknown.  They  have  been  bred  in 
portions  of  New  Jersey  for  upwards  of  50  years,  and  with  many  farmers  are  considered 
to  be  a  valuable  variety.  They  are  of  large  size,  and  capable  of  making  a  heavy  growth, 
500  and  600  pounds  weight  being  common.  Mr.  David  Pettit,  Salem,  Salem  county, 
N.  J.,  has  known  of  these  hogs  for  30  years,  and  Mr.  D.  M.  Brown,  of  Windsor,  for  50 
years.  They  are  now  extensively  bred  in  the  middle  and  southern  portions  of  New 
Jersey.  In  neighborhoods  they  were  bred  quite  uniform,  being  of  a  dark  red  color ; 
while  in  other  sections  they  were  more  sandy,  and  often  patched  with  white.  They  are 
probably  descended  from  the  old  importations  of  Berkshires,  as  there  is  no  record  of  the 
Tamworth — the  red  hog  of  England — ever  having  been  brought  to  this  country  ;  nor  is  it 
likely,  as  the  Tamworths  were  not  considered  valuable  swine,  and  were  confined  to  a 
limited  breeding." 

The  name  "Jersey-Red"  was  first  used  about  1870  by  the  late 
Joseph  R.  Lyman,  at  that  time  agricultural  editor  of  the  New  York 
Tribune ;  and  a  Mr.  Lippincott,  of  New  Jersey,  was  probably  the  first 
breeder  to  advertise  under  the  name  thus  given. 

In  the  meantime,  another  strain  of  red  hogs  was  finding  favor  in 
New  York  under  the  name  "Duroc;"  they  were  so  called  by  Isaac 
Frink,  a  farmer  living  near  Milton,  Saratoga  county,  N.  Y.  Mr.  Frink 
secured  a  pair  of  pigs  in  1823  from  Mr.  Kelsey — the  then  owner  of  the 
famous  stallion  Duroc — who  stated  that  the  pigs  were  "imported;"  as 
to  what  was  meant  by  the  expression  used,  we  can  only  infer,  but  it  is 
probable  that  if  "imported"  from  England,  a  name  would  have  been 
imported  with  them;  and  since  Mr.  Kelsey  called  them  simply  "Red 
Pigs,"  we  are  justified  in  believing  them  brought  from  a  distance — 
probably  Queens  county,  N.  Y.,  where  Mr.  Kelsey  formerly  resided — 
but  not  imported  from  Europe.  Mr.  Frink  could  as  well  have  named 
them  "Kelsey"  as  Duroc,  but  the  fame  of  the  horse  so  overshadowed 

301 


3O2  DUROC-JERSEYS. 

that  of  his  owner  as  to  doubtless  warrant  Mr.  Frink's  choice  of  a  name. 

These  two  families  of  swine,  under  separate  names,  were  undoubt- 
edly of  the  same  origin  ;  and  this,  probably,  is  found  in  the  old  red  type 
of  Berkshire,  as  pictured  by  Low,  in  his  "Domestic  Animals  of  Great 
Britain." 

That  the  two  names  represented  one  hog  had  been  long  recognized  ; 
and,  after  several  attempts  to  effect  an  organization,  the  Duroc  or 
Jersey- Red  Swine  Club  met,  in  first  annual  session,  at  the  Grand  Pacific 
Hotel,  Chicago,  November  15,  1883.  During  this  meeting,  there  were 
some  remarks  about  the  propriety  of  leaving  out  the  word  "or"  in  the 
name  of  the  Club,  which  finally  resulted  in  changing  the  name  to 
"Duroc-Jersey  Swine  Breeders'  Association,"  as  now  known. 

Improvement  of  the  breed  has  been  very  great,  especially  within 
the  past  decade.  The  old  Jersey  Red  or  Duroc  was  a  coarse,  heavy, 
raw-boned,  lop-eared  and  "lank-sided"  animal,  whose  greatest  merit 
lay  in  his  growth  and  feeding  qualities ;  while  his  modern  brother,  as 
will  be  seen  from  the  next  topic,  is  among  the  best  of  economic  breeds 
of  swine. 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  cherry  or  sandy  red,  without  admixture  of  other  tints ;  nose 
medium  to  short;  face  slightly  dished,  wide  between  eyes;  ears  medium, 
drooping,  and  jowl  large,  full  and  well  rounded.  The  neck  is  short ; 
shoulders  broad  and  deep,  bounding  a  chest  of  great  capacity ;  back 
broad,  and  neatly  moulded  to  long,  deep  ribs ;  hams  very  heavy,  with 
low,  full  twist ;  legs  medium  in  length,  with  strong,  firm  bone  ;  tail  well 
up  but  rather  thick ;  hair  soft,  straight  and  shining — the  whole  com- 
bined with  an  action  not  nervous,  but  vigorous  and  sprightly.  To 
those  who  are  familiar  with  the  Poland-Chinas,  we  might  briefly  state 
that  the  Duroc-Jersey  resembles  them  very  closely  in  nearly  all  points 
except  color.  In  size  the  Duroc-Jersey  ranks  among  the  largest  of 
modern  breeds,  individuals  weighing  at  maturity  400  to  700  pounds,  and 
marketing  at  eight  or  nine  months  an  average  weight  of  from  175  to 
250  pounds,  dressed. 

They  are  quiet,  ravenous  feeders,  good  grass  hogs,  and  bear  forcing 
for  market  as  well  as  any. 

In  the  South  they  have  no  superior,  at  least  among  the  large 
breeds,  as  they  never  sun-scald,  and  adapt  themselves  readily  to  cli- 
matic conditions  under  which  even  the  hardy  Poland-China  will  not 
thrive. 

The  cross  of  the  Duroc-Jersey  on  the  Essex  we  regard  as  of  more 
value  for  pork  than  the  pure  bloods  of  either  breed,  as  they  combine  the 
size  and  forcing  qualities  of  the  former  with  the  remarkable  fattening 
powers  of  the  latter  in  a  very  happy  manner. 


1JUROC-JERSEYS. 


3°3 


DUROC-JERSEYS. 


The  following  Scale  of  Points  for  judging  Duroc-Jersey  swine,  to 
be  used  in  connection  with  description  already  given,  has  been  formally 


adopted  by  the  Association  : 

Color 5 

Head 10 

Ears 5 

Cheeks  (Jowl) 5 

Neck 5 

Shoulders 5 

Chest 10 

Back   .  10 


Forward 55 

Sides 10 

Belly 5 

Hams 10 

Legs 5 

Tail 5 

Hair •    •    •    5 

Action .    5 


Perfection    .  .  100 


Forward 55 

Our  illustration  gives  an  excellent  idea  of  this  now  popular  breed 
of  swine. 


Chapter  LXII. 


CHESTER-WHITES. 

The  breed  derives  its  name  from  the  place  of  its  origin — Chester 
county,  Pennsylvania.  In  1818,  a  sea  captain — James  Jeffries  by  name 
— brought  over  from  Bedfordshire,  England,  a  pair  of  superior  white 
pigs,  showing  bluish  spots  in  skin — since  known  as  "Bedford  "  hogs — 
and  placed  them  on  his  farm  near  West  Chester,  Pa.  These  pigs  and 
their  progeny,  in  connection  with  the  Big  Chinas,  brought  to  Delaware 
county,  Pa.,  about  the  same  time,  were  used  by  the  farmers  of  Chester 
county,  in  grading  on  a  foundation  stock  of  large,  coarse  white  hogs  — 
probably  descendants  of  the  old  English  Large  Yorkshire — supposed  to 
have  been  imported  about  1811,  until  after  many  years  of  careful  selection 
and  judicious  inbreeding  the  Chester- White  breed  was  brought  before  the 
American  Farmer,  and  turned  over  to  him  for  further  improvement. 

The  modern  Chester-White  is  well  known  throughout  the  Eastern 
and  many  Western  states,  and  has,  at  one  time  and  another,  found  a 
place  in  most  of  the  mixed-bred  herds  in  the  Mississippi  Valley.  The 
writer  well  remembers  the  time  when  a  black  hog  was  looked  upon  with 
more  or  less  disfavor  by  a  great  majority  of  Western  farmers  ;  and  the 
Chester  was  at  that  time  the  hog  sought  for  to  improve  and  maintain  the 
herd.  One  of  the  most  prolific  and  valuable  brood  sows  we  have  ever 
known  was  of  this  breed,  a  sow  that  for  beauty  and  utility  combined 
would  be  hard  to  surpass  ;  her  owner,  however,  not  fancying  the  white 
color,  persisted  in  using  a  black  boar,  and  declared  that  the  magnifi- 
cent litters  she  brought  owed  their  great  excellence  to  the  sire. 

Improvement  of  the  Chester  has  been  very  constant.  Our  Western 
farmers  are,  almost  to  a  man,  good  judges  and  good  handlers  of  swine  ; 
and  those  who  have  not  been  carried  away  during  the  last  fifteen  or 
twenty  years  by  the  popular  tide  in  favor  of  black  hogs  have  used  their 
abilities  to  advantage  in  perfecting  the  Chester-White  breed. 

DESCRIPTION  AND  CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  white — as  the  name  indicates — with  hair  of  medium  length, 
mostly  straight,  neatly  parted  on  the  median  line,  and  in  the  best  speci- 
mens, showing  a  handsome  curl  or  rosette  just  over  the  loins.  The  head 
is  of  medium  length,  broad  between  the  eyes  ;  ears  thin,  drooping, 
pointing  well  forward,  and  showing  a  decided  bend  or  "lop  "  near  the 
point  ;  neck  short  and  thick  ;  jowl  large  ;  body  long  and  deep  ;  back 


20 


305 


CHESTER-WHITES. 


broad,  hams  large  and  rounded  ;  legs  short  and  squarely  placed ;  tail 
small,  with  brush  of  soft  hair,  and  back  and  belly  lines  almost  parallel. 
In  size,  the  Chester- Whites  rank  with  the  largest,  weighing  at  ma- 
turity 600  or  700  pounds,  and  marketing  at  eight  or  nine  months  a 
dressed  weight  of  175  to  250  pounds.  They  do  not  claim  early  matu- 
rity, but  no  hog  can  surpass  them,  in  favorable  climate,  for  capacity  to 
transform  corn  into  fat  pork  in  shortest  time  and  at  least  expense.  They 
are  quiet,  even  lazy,  and  make  excellent  animals  to  follow  steers  in  the 
feeding  pens.  The  brood  sows  produce  large  litters,  and  are  excellent 
mothers,  the  only  objection  we  have  ever  heard  on  this  point  being  that 
they  are  apt  to  be  cross  at  pigging  time,  which  is,  perhaps,  well  founded. 
In  the  South  they  have  no  place  ;  the  white  breeds  of  swine  cannot 
stand  the  severe  summer  sun  of  this  latitude  without  danger  of  sun-scald, 


CHESTER-WHITE  BOAR. 

Property  of  N.  G.  ALEXANDER,  Delavan,  111. 

mange,  or  other  troubles  ;  and  while  there  are  many  breeders — and 
partisan  ones  too — of  each  of  the  modern  white  breeds  in  the  South, 
justice  toward  all  interests  demands  the  above  statement. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  for  judging  Chester- White  swine  has 
been  adopted  by  the  National  Chester- White  Breeders'  Association,  and 
should  be  used  in  connection  with  the  description  already  given  : 

Forward 48 

Sides 6 

Loin •       7 

Belly 4 

Flank 3 

Ham 10 

Tail 2 

Limbs 7 

Coat  .    ,    .    .    ,    .    .     - 3 

Action 5 

Symmetry 5 

Perfection    .  .  ico 


Color 3 

Head 5 

Ears • x 

Jowl a 

Neck •   .    .    .  '3 

Brisket 3 

Shoulders 6 

Girth  at  heart 10 

Back 7 

Ribs 7 


Forward 


Chapter  LXIII. 


TODD'S   IMPROVED   CHESTER-WHITES. 

This  breed  has  lately  forced  itself  into  recognition  among  the  farm- 
ers of  Ohio  and  other  Western  states,  and  we  can  do  no  less  than 
grant  its  claim  to  the  title  of  "breed,"  since  it  is  already  proved  by  the 
marked  similarity  of  its  pure-bred  offspring.  We  are  not  personally 
familiar  with  the  breed,  but  give  the  following  account  of  its  origin,  and 
a  description,  based  on  letters  from  breeders,  and  the  history  as  outlined 
by  S.  H.  Todd  in  Volume  I.,  Record  of  Todd's  Improved  Chester-White 
Swine,  which  appeared  in  1885: 


K.'."5';;     -  __"-~~"  i-»i-  i  **1'>-iiji?£"ir;^; 

TODD'S  IMPROVED  CHESTER  BOAR,  DANDY,  017. 

Owned  by  C.  W.  BAKER,  Delaware,  Ohio. 

' '  Kneeland  Todd  took  a  boar  of  the  breed  known  as  '  Norfolk  Thin  Rind' — black 
belted  with  white — and  a  white  sow  pig  of  the  Connecticut— so-called  '  Grass  breed, '  to 
Ohio  in  1834.  Isaac  Hoskins  had  moved  to  Wakeman,  Ohio,  from  New  Bedford,  Mass., 
the  previous  year — 1833 — taking  with  him  at  that  time,  a  boar  of  the  '  Byfield' breed — 
large  white,  rather  leggy  and  slow  to  mature — and  a  sow  of  the  '  Auterdale'  breed — prob- 
ably identical  with  the  '  Grass  breed'  above  mentioned.  These  two  gentlemen  bred  care- 
fully and  with  good  judgment,  and  finally  bred  the  best  animals  of  each  herd  together. 
At  this  juncture — 1848 — the  twin  brother  of  Kneeland  Todd  bought  a  boar  from  Mr. 
Mead,  of  Norfolk,  Ohio,  of  what  Mr.  Mead  called  the  '  Large  Grass  breed',  and  this  boar 
was  used  on  the  Todd-Hoskins  stock  with  great  success.  About  1862,  the  same  gentleman 
purchased  a  white  boar  with  fine  curly  hair,  called  'Normandy,'  said  to  be  of  French 
origin.  This  proved  to  be  a  valuable  addition,  and  the  combination  animal  thus  produced 
became  quite  well  known  as  the  '  Todd  Hog.' 

"  Mr.  S.  H.  Todd — son  of  the  originator  of  the  Todd  Hog — in  1867  began  crossing 
these  animals  with  pure  Chester-Whites,  using  in  all  some  six  or  seven  crosses,  and  finally 
producing  what  is  now  known  as  Todd's  Improved  Chester- White." 

307 


3o8 


TODD'S    IMPROVED     CHESTER-WHITES. 


DESCRIPTION     AND     CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  white,  with  occasionally  bluish  spots  on  skin;  hair  fine  and 
thick;  head  small;  face  slightly  dished;  ears  fine,  thin  and  drooping; 
jowl  full;  neck  short  and  well  arched;  shoulder  heavy;  back  straight, 
with  broad  loin;  ribs  well  sprung,  dropping  to  deep  sides  and  low  flank; 
hams  deep  and  rounded;  tail  small,  and  legs  fine  boned  and  straight. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  was  adopted  by  the  Record  Associa- 
tion at  the  annual  meeting,  January,  1885;  C.  W.  Baker,  Delaware, 
Ohio,  is  the  present  secretary: 


Head 7 

Ear 2 

Jowl 4 

Neck 3 

Brisket 3 

Shoulder 6 

Girth  around  heart 9 

Back 6 

Side 7 

Ribs.   .                                                           .  6 


Forward 53 

Loin 7 

Belly 5 

Flank 3 

Ham 10 

Limbs 6 

Tail TTF 

Coat.   .    .    .    .    .  •'.'*.'• 3 

Color 3 

Symmetry 8 


Forward  . 53 


Perfection. 


TOOD'S  IMPROVED  CHESTER  SOW,  SWEEPSTAKES,  1454. 

Owned  by  N.  H.  TILLMAN,  Arcanum,  Ohio. 

Our  illustrations,  both  of  Chester- Whites  and  Todd's  Improved 
Chesters,  can  hardly  be  said  to  do  justice  to  their  respective  breeds,  but 
will  serve  to  illustrate  whatever  of  difference  there  may  be  between  them. 
Many,  indeed,  are  of  opinion  that  there  should  be  but  one  breed  of  Ches- 
ter-White swine,  and  maintain  that  the  two  breeds  here  given  separate 
chapters  will  soon  be  combined  under  a  compromise  standard  of  regis- 
tration. 

Whether  such  may  prove  to  be  the  result  or  not,  has  no  effect  on  the 
present  status  of  the  two  breeds;  they  are  given  a  separate  class  at  fairs 
and  exhibitions,  and  if  the  combination  is  not  made  very  soon,  there  will 
remain  small  probability  of  a  union  at  any  time. 


Chapter  LXIV. 


GOTHLANDS. 

This  breed,  new  in  America,  originated  in  Gothland,  Sweden,  and 
is  said  to  be  of  remarkably  pure  descent,  improved  by  care  and  selec- 
tion, with  few,  if  any,  out-crosses. 

The  first  importation  to  America  was  made  in  1880  by  S.  V. 
Anderson,  who  brought  over  a  few  head  as  an  experiment.  Since  that 
time  they  have  found  considerable  favor — mainly  in  Iowa  and  Illinois, 
and  a  Registry  Asssociation  was  organized  in  1888,  with  Mr.  Grant 
W.  Spear,  of  Aurora,  111.,  secretary.  We  are  indebted  to  Messrs. 
White  &  Conover,  of  Lynnville,  Iowa.,  for  the  following  detailed 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

"They  have  a  medium  sized  head,  rather 'short  nose,  small  ear,  slightly  drooping, 
or  leaning  forward  ;  broad  between  ears,  and  with  stout,  heavy  jaw.  Top  and  under 
lines  good  ;  girth  large,  length  good,  loin  broad,  flank  deep,  with  heavy  ham  and 
shoulder,  ham  extremely  good  ;  legs  rather  short,  strong  and  well  set  ;  hair  rather 
fine  and  very  thick  ;  skin  smooth  and  flexible  ;  flesh  nicely  marbled  and  of  excellent 
quality,  with  small  per  cent,  of  shrinkage  in  dressing.  Most  of  them  are  spotted 
black  and  white,  but  some  you  will  find  nearly  black,  while  others  are  nearly  white,  ac- 
cording to  the  fancy  of  the  breeder.  If  fed  mostly  on  nitrogenous  foods  they  will  grow 
to  a  very  large  size  ;  or  if  early  maturity  is  desired,  by  good  feeding  with  plenty  of  corn 
and  skimmed  milk,  they  may  be  brought  to  maturity  much  sooner,  often  weighing  350 
to  400  pounds  at  one  year  of  age.  They  are  not  coarse,  but  a  hog  of  medium  size; 
neither  are  they  as  round  and  chubby  as  the  Yorkshire,  but  have  a  much  larger  per  cent, 
of  lean  meat  and  muscle.  As  to  their  health,  they  have  proved  themselves  to  be  exceed- 
ingly healthy  and  rugged  ;  they  endure  our  winters  nicely,  as  they  are  a  native  of  a  cold 
climate.  They  are  a  quiet,  docile  animal,  about  like  the  Poland-China,  which  breed 
they  resemble  in  their  general  make-up  and  disposition  more  than  any  other  of  our 
native  breeds,  but  are  stronger  and  more  vigorous.  They  make  excellent  mothers. 

"They  are  an  excellent  hog  to  ship,  having  as  they  do  a  short,  strong  leg, 
strong  heavy  loin,  and  rather  short  back.  Crippled  and  broken-down  hogs  are  very 
scarce.  They  are  a  good  hog  to  follow  cattle,  as  they  are  not  easily  disabled." 

A  letter  received  from  Mr.  Spear,  dated  Dec.  22,  1892,  states  : 

"*  *  The  Gothland  Breeding  Association  has  gone  out  of  business,  as  the 
cost  of  importing  new  swine  was  so  much  for  the  value  received  that  the  breeding  was 
dropped." 

This  is  unfortunate,  and  but  illustrates  the  fact  that  it  takes  not  only 
time  but  money  to  introduce  any  new  breed,  however  meritorious,  and 
obtain  for  it  established  recognition. 

309 


Chapter  LXV. 

VICTORIAS. 

{Originated  by  F.   D.    Curtis.} 

There  are,  unfortunately,  two  distinct  and  separate  breeds  of 
swine,  each  called  "Victoria."  Col.  F.  D.  Curtis,  of  Charlton,  N.  Y., — 
in  whose  recent  death,  May  28,  1891,  the  world  has  lost  a  man  of  truly 
great  worth,  not  only  in  his  private  life,  but  as  a  breeder  of  live  stock, 
and  also  as  a  constant  instructor  through  the  columns  of  our  best  agri- 
cultural and  live  stock  periodicals — some  twenty-five  years  ago  began  a 
system  of  crossing  with  several  varieties  of  English  swine,  in  the  hope 
of  dropping  the  objectionable  characteristics,  and  combining  the  good 
points  of  each  in  a  separate  breed.  In  this  he  has  been  successful,  so 
far  as  fixedness  of  type  is  concerned,  his  breed  receiving  the  follow- 
ing recognition  and  complimentary  notice  from  the  National  Swine 
Breeders'  Convention,  1872: 

"The  family  of  pigs  known  as  Victorias  originated  with  Col.  Frank  D.  Curtis, 
Kirby  Homestead,  Charlton,  Saratoga  Co. ,  N.  Y.  They  were  made  by  crossing  the  By- 
field  hog  with  the  native,  in  which  there  was  a  strain  of  Grazier.  Subsequent  crosses 
were  made  with  the  Yorkshire  and  Suffolk,  the  result  being  a  purely  white  hog  of  me- 
dium size.  The  name  has  no  significance,  unless  it  is  intended  as  a  compliment  to  the 
English  Queen.  These  pigs,  if  pure  bred,  should  all  have  a  direct  descent  from  a  sow 
called  Queen  Victoria,  which  may  be  said  to  be  the  mother  of  the  family.  She  was 
pronounced  by  good  judges  to  be  almost  perfect,  and  was  the  winner  of  a  number  of 
first  prizes." 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

We  may  best  explain  their  peculiarities  by  another  reference  to  the 
above  report,  signed  by  the  chairman  of  the  committee,  Chas.  E. 
Leland  : 

"The  color  is  pure  white,  with  a  good  coat  of  soft,  fine  hair  ;  the  head  thin,  fine 
and  closely  set  on  the  shoulders  ;  the  face  slightly  dishing  ;  the  snout  short ;  the  ears 
erect,  small  and  very  light  or  thin  ;  the  shoulders  bulging  and  deep  ;  legs  short  and  fine  ; 
the  back  broad,  straight  and  level,  and  the  body  long.  The  hams  round  and  swelling 
and  high  at  the  base  of  the  tail,  with  plates  or  folds  between  the  thighs  ;  the  tail  fine  and 
free  from  wrinkles,  or  rolls ;  feathers  or  rosettes  on  the  back  are  common  ;  the  skin  is 
thin,  soft  and  elastic;  the  flesh  fine-grained  and  firm,  with  small  bone,  and  thick  side 
pork.  The  pigs  easily  keep  in  condition,  and  can  be  made  ready  for  slaughter  at  any 
age." 

And  now  a  word  as  to  the  unfortunate  naming  of  these  two  dis- 
tinctly different  breeds.  We  have  no  interest  in  either  breed,  and  shall 

310 


VICTORIAS.  311 

try  to  give  an  impartial  review  of  the  case  from  both  sides.  To  this 
end  we  have  placed  them  under  separate  headings,  distinguishing  each 
breed  by  the  name  of  its  originator.  Would  it  not  be  the  part  of  wis- 
dom— since  both  parties  seem  so  enamored  of  the  present  name — to  call 
the  breed  just  described  the  CURTIS  VICTORIAS,  and  the  other  the  DAVIS 
VICTORIAS,  each  in  honor  of  its  founder  ?  The  breeds  are  certainly 
different,  and  must  be  disassociated  in  the  public  mind.  We  make 
the  suggestion  in  good  faith,  and  earnestly  hope  that  breeders  con- 
cerned will  accept  at  least  something  equivalent. 


Chapter  LXVI. 


VICTORIAS. 

(  Originated  by  George  F.  Davis. ) 

A  new  breed  produced  within  the  last  decade,  by  a  judicious  blend- 
ing of  the  blood  of  four  different  breeds — Poland-China,  Chester-White, 
Berkshire  and  American  or  White  Suffolk.  Previous  to  1882,  breeders 
of  the  Davis  Victorias  were  compelled  to  show  their  animals  as  grades 
at  fairs  and  Fat  Stock  Shows  ;  but  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Illinois 
State  Board,  in  the  year  mentioned,  they  were  given  a  class  by  them- 
selves, and  were  admitted  on  an  equal  footing  with  other  swine,  as 
forming  a  pure  and  distinct  breed.  At  the  Illinois  State  Fair  in  1882, 


DAVIS  VICTORIA  BOAR,  DANDY. 

At  seven  months;  winner  of  sweepstakes  overall  breeds  shown  at  the  World's  Industrial  and 
Cotton  Exposition,  New  Orleans,  La. ;  property  of  GEO.  F.  DAVIS,  Dyer,  Ind. 

Mr.  G.  F.  Davis,  of  Dyer,  Ind.,  the  originator  of  the  breed,  exhibited 
a  small  herd  in  competition  with  Chester- Whites,  winning  first  and  second 
prizes  on  boars,  second  on  sows  under  one  year  old,  and  in  the  breeders' 
ring  the  herd  premium  of  $25  for  the  best  boar  and  four  sows.  In 
1885,  Mr.  Davis  exhibited  his  herd  at  the  World's  Industrial  and  Cotton 
Exposition,  New  Orleans,  La.,  his  seven  months  old  "Dandy"  (see  il- 
lustration) winning  the  grand  sweepstakes  over  all  breeds  shown.  Why 

312 


VICTORIAS.  313 

Mr.  Davis  adopted  the  name  "Victoria"  we  cannot  see;  possibly  he 
was  unaware  of  the  existence  of  the  Curtis  Victorias,  already  described. 
Certainly  Mr.  Curtis  has  a  prior  claim  to  its  use,  but  the  point  must  be 
settled  by  breeders,  and  we  predict  wiJ  be  settled  to  the  satisfaction  of 
all  concerned. 

DESCRIPTION  AND  CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  white;  size  medium  to  large,  weighing  at  10  to  12  months 
300  to  400  pounds  ;  head  small  and  finely  dished,  not  so  short  as 
the  White  Suffolk  or  Small  Yorkshire,  with  erect  or  only  slightly 
drooping  ears,  and  heavy,  firm  jowl ;  back  straight  and  broad  ;  shoulders 
deep  and  square ;  hams  full  and  low,  and  legs  short,  with  fine  but  firm 
bone. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  was  adopted  by  the  Victoria  Swine 
Breeders'  Association,  at  the  Chicago  meeting,  June,  1887  : 

Color 2  Forward 49 

Head 3       Loin • 12 

Ears 2       Flank 2 

Jowl i       Ham 12 

Neck    • 3       Tail 2 

Shoulders 7       Legs 3 

Girth  around  heart 6      Feet .     3 

Back *2       Hair 3 

Sides 6       Action • 4 

Ribs 7       Symmetry  .    .    .  • 10 

Forward 49  Perfection 100 

Their  breeders  claim  for  them  an  unusual  economy  in  production 
of  flesh.  The  sows  produce  large  litters  and  are  good  mothers;  the)' 
stand  board  floors  remarkably  well,  and  it  is  claimed  that  they  are  not  so 
susceptible  to  mange,  scurf,  sun-scald  and  similar  troubles,  which  have 
made  buyers — especially  in  the  South — fight  shy  of  white  hogs  in 
general.  There  is  ample  room  for  both  of  the  Victoria  breeds,  and 
we  are  glad  to  notice  their  rapid  advancement  in  public  favor  wherever 
introduced. 


Chapter   LXVII. 


CHESHIRES. 

At  our  request,  Mr.  R.  D.  Button,  a  leading  breeder  of  Cheshires, 
Cottons,  N.  Y.,  very  carefully  prepared  an  outline  of  history  and  char- 
acteristics of  the  breed,  and  the  article  so  nearly  expresses  our  own 
opinion  that,  with  some  minor  changes,  and  with  Mr.  -Button's  permis- 
sion, we  publish  in  full: 

"Jefferson  county,  N  Y.,  is  without  doubt,  the  birthplace  of  this  breed  of  swine, 
and  to  A.  C.  Clark  is  universally  conceded  the  honor  of  having  given  them  a  name  and 
character.  The  sires  he  used  were  Yorkshires,  belonging  to  that  family  of  English  hogs 
known  as  the  '  Large  White'  breed.  Breeders  are  not  all  agreed  as  to  what  dams  were 
used,  many  believing  that  the  first  dam  was  a  large  white  sow  imported  from  Cheshire,  Eng. , 
to  Albany,  N.  Y.  She  was  taken  to  Jefferson  county  by  Mr.  A.  C.  Clark,  and  used  as 
the  leading  factor  in  making  up  his  herd.  Mr.  Clark  was  a  breeder  with  sound  judgment 
and  good  sense,  and  he  early  perceived  the  docility  and  motherly  qualities  of  this  dam 
and  her  progeny,  and  by  judicious  crosses  and  careful  selections  he  in  time  produced  a  herd 
of  swine  that  were  uniform  in  size  and  characteristics.  His  herd  was  shown  at  many  of 
the  leading  fairs  of  New  York,  and  nothwithstanding  the  fierce  rivalries  of  other  breeders 
Mr.  Clark  carried  away  many  of  the  honors  for  large  white  breeds. 

"There  are  breeders  who  profess  to  believe  that  the  imported  sow  was  a  myth,  and 
assert  that  Mr.  Clark  used  only  the  best  white  sows  of  his  neighborhood,  and  when  he 
found  a  better  sow  than  his,  he  bought  and  used  her,  if  she  proved  a  satisfactory  breeder. 
We  are,  however,  of  the  belief  that  the  Albany  sow  was  a  truth  and  verity,  and  found 
that  belief  on  repeated  statements  of  Ezra  J.  Clark  (son-in-law  of  A.  C.  Clark,  and  after- 
ward owner  of  his  herd),  with  whom  we  were  intimately  associated  for  a  number  of  years 
in  breeding,  selling  and  exhibiting  Cheshire  swine.  Mr.  Ezra  J.  Clark  always  main- 
tained that  A.  C.  Clark  bought  and  used  the  Albany  sow  as  his  prime  factor,  and  all  re- 
ports of  buying  and  using  only  native  sows  had  their  origin  in  the  fertile  brains  of  rival 
breeders  and  exhibitors.  Between  1850  and  1865  Mr.  Clark  was  a  leading  breeder  and 
exhibitor  in  New  York,  and  fought  both  wordy  and  legal  battles  for  his  favorites.  Busi- 
ness complications  arising,  he  sold  his  interest  and  good-will  to  Ezra  J.  Clark,  who  asso- 
ciated with  him  Mr.  McLean,  and  afterward  Daniel  Green,  under  the  firm  name  Clark  & 
Green.  In  1870  this  firm  made  an  exhibit  at  the  leading  western  fairs,  ending  with  the 
great  St.  Louis  Fair,  where  they  won  the  $500  offered  by  the  pork  packers  for  the  best 
herd  for  packers'  uses.  This  breed  had  been  widely  disseminated  during  these  exhibitions, 
but  the  low  price  for  pork  during  the  following  years  was  so  discouraging  that  many  sold 
or  butchered  their  stock,  and  engaged  in  more  remunerative  pursuits.  The  old  Clark 
herd  was  still  retained  in  its  purity,  although  greatly  reduced  in  numbers. 

"About  1875  several  parties  in  Madison  Co.,  N.  Y.,  were  engaged  in  breeding  Che- 
shires  ;  and,  with  different  ideas  of  what  a  Cheshire  should  be,  bred  for  early  maturity, 
and  a  shorter  body  and  head.  About  1882  a  few  of  the  prominent  breeders  began  to 
talk  of  forming  a  register,  and  in  January,  1883,  a  call  was  issued  for  breeders  to  meet  at 
Syracuse,  N.  Y.  But  little  was  accomplished,  however,  owing  to  jealousies  between 

314 


CHESHIRES. 


315 


different  sections  and  breeders.     Several  subsequent  meetings  were  held,  and  by  mutual 
concessions,  it  was  agreed  to  adopt  the  following 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

"Head  short  to  medium  in  length,  short  in  proportion  to  length  of  body;  face 
somewhat  dished  and  wide  between  the  eyes  ;  ears  small,  erect,  in  old  animals  often 
pointing  slightly  forwards  ;  neck  short  ;  shoulders  broad  and  full,  hips  broad  ;  body  long, 
broad  and  deep  ;  hams  broad,  nearly  straight  with  back,  and  running  well  down  towards 
hock  ;  legs  small  and  slim,  set  well  apart,  and  supporting  the  body  on  the  toes ;  tail 
small  and  slim  ;  hair  fine,  medium  in  thickness  and  quantity  ;  color  white,  a  few  blue 
spots  in  skin  not  to  disqualify,  but  objectionable.  When  grown  and  well  fattened,  should 
dress  from  400  to  600  Ibs. 


CHESHIRE  BOAR. 

Property  of  E.  W.  DAVIS,  Oneida,  N.  Y. 

Scale  of  Points  :     To  be  used  with  description  given  above  : 


Head 8 

Face 8 

Ears 5 

Neck  ...,...;. 5 

Shoulders  .    .    .    .  • 10 

Hips 10 

Body 10 


Forward 56 

Hams 10 

Legs 10 

Tail 5 

Hair 5 

Color 4 

General  appearance 10 


Forward 56  Perfection 100 

' '  Cheshires  are  now  given  a  separate  class  at  most  of  the  large  fairs,  and  are  regu- 
larly shown  at  the  various  exhibitions  in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania  and  other 
States." 

Another  opinion  reaches  our  hands  as  to  the  origin  of  Cheshire 
swine;  and  coming,  as  it  does,  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  E.  W.  Davis,  of 
Oneida,  N.  Y.,  secretary  of  the  Cheshire  Swine  Breeders'  Association, 
we  have  taken  the  liberty  to  make  the  following  extract  : 

"The  hog  known  as  Cheshire  was  first  bred  by  A.  C.  Clark,  of  Jefferson  Co.,  N.  Y. 
He  commenced  with  an  imported  Large  Yorkshire  boar,  and  bred  upon  the  best  common 
sows  he  could  find.  These  common  sows  were  all  white,  and  were  grade  Suffolk,  Small 


3i6 


CHESHIRES. 


Yorkshire,  etc.  ;  selections  were  carefully  made  from  these,  and  after  a  time,  another 
Large  Yorkshire  boar  from  imported  stock  was  used.  There  was  a  story  that  a  sow  was 
imported  from  Cheshire,  England,  but  that  is  wholly  a  myth.  I  have  investigated  the 
matter  carefully,  and  those  who  ought  to  know  if  there  was  ever  any  such  an  importation 
know  nothing  of  it,  and  unhesitatingly  say,  there  was  never  any  such  importation." 

The  above  shows  plainly  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  reputed 
"Cheshire"  or  "Albany"  sow.  As  it  is  simply  a  matter  of  belief  with 
both  parties — no  definite  proof  being  available  on  either  side — we  pre- 
fer to  give  the  opinions  as  we  receive  them,  without  further  comment 
than  to  say  that  both  gentlemen  are  known  to  be  careful,  reliable  breed- 
ers, thoroughly  impressed  with  the  superior  merits  of  their  favorite 
swine.  In  the  South,  Cheshires  are  scarcely  known  at  all,  and  would 
doubtless  fall  heir  to  the  same  troubles  which  have  thrown  other  white 
breeds  into  disfavor  with  Southern  farmers. 

The  illustrations  of  Daisy  2nd  and  Vulcan — which  were  engraved 
after  accurate  sketches  from  life — give  a  good  idea  of  the  appearance  of 
the  breed.  Mr.  Davis  writes  : 

"They  are  not  fancy  pictures,  but  are  the  work  of  one  of  the  best  artists,  and  I 
instructed  him  to  reproduce  the  animals  exactly." 


CHESHIRE  SOW. 

Property  of  E.  W.  DAVIS,  Oneida,  N.  Y. 


Chapter  LXVIII. 


SMALL   YORKSHIRES. 

This  breed,  which  is  quite  well  known  in  the  United  States,  may  be 
traced  directly  to  the  old  York  and  Cumberland  breeds  of  England;  in- 
deed, it  may  be  well  claimed  by  their  breeders  that  the  Small  York 
is  of  line-pure  descent.  Probably  no  other  breed  of  modern  times, 
save,  perhaps,  the  Essex,  is  more  nearly  thoroughbred  in  fact,  or  has 
less  admixture  of  other  blood.  The  breed  is  peculiar  to  Yorkshire, 
England,  and  has  been  known  as  such  for  many  years. 

Introduction  into  the  United  States  was  first  accomplished  about 
the  year  1860  ;  but  it  is  only  within  the  last  few  years  that  the  Small 
Yorks  have  attracted  much  attention  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic.  A 
record  has  been  established  (Geo.  W.  Harris,  of  New  York  city,  is  the 
present  secretary),  and  the  breed  is  quite  prominently  advertised  in 
most  of  our  agricultural  and  live  stock  publications. 

DESCRIPTION     AND     CHARACTERISTICS. 

Color  pure  white,  with  pinkish  skin,  occasionally  darker  spotted 
under  the  hair;  size  small  to  medium — weighing,  when  mature,  from 
375  to  450  pounds.  The  body  is  short,  rounded  and  deep;  head  short; 
face  sharply  dished  ;  jowl  and  neck  heavy;  short,  fine  legs,  and  thick, 
rounded  quarters.  They  are  hardy,  and  well  covered  with  hair — hence 
not  so  liable  to  mange  and  sun-scald  as  are  many  of  the  white  breeds; 
they  are  quiet,  excellent  range  or  grazing  hogs,  and  are  remarkably  pre- 
potent— the  pigs  from  York  boars  being  uniformly  white,  and  possessing 
the  early  maturing  qualities  of  the  breed  in  marked  degree.  In  the 
South,  the  Small  Yorks  do  as  well  as  any  of  the  white  breeds,  but  con- 
not  compete  with  their  colored  rivals  in  hardiness. 

The  following  Scale  of  Points  has  been  adopted  by  the  American 
Small  Yorkshire  Club: 

(  Small 2] 

1  Nose,    Shortness  of  .........••'..  5  ', 

HEAD    .    .    .    .  \  -Q\<&  of  Face 3  \    15— HEAD. 

J  Width  between  the  Ears 3  1 

^Ears — Small,  thin  and  Erect 2) 

Top  line  straight  from  Shoulder  to  Tail 5  ] 

Bottom  or  Belly  line 3 

Length 10 

TRUNK  ....<{  Depth 5  J>    35— TRUNK. 

Width,  even  from  Shoulder  to  Ham 5 

Breadth  of  Loin 5 

Flank,  deep  and  full •    •  .  2 

Forward 50 

317 


SMALL    YORKSHIRES. 


SMALL    YORKSHIRES. 

Forward 50 

(  Length,   vertical 10  J 

HAMS   ....-<  Breadth,  front  to  rear 5  >    25 — HAMS. 

(  Thickness 10  ) 

SHOULDERS  .  .   \  Breadth,  front  to  rear 3  I      5_SHOULDERS. 

(  Thickness 2  )      J 

LEGS     '  '    IslSght.feet'setup'.    '.'.::    '.'.'.'.    '.'.'.    '.    '.  5 

gKIN  (  Not  too  thin,  nor  ridgy  nor  coarse 2  )        «;, 

\  Free  from  eruption  and  discolored  spots 3  f 

HAIR \  Full  coat  andfine 5  J.  5 — HAIR. 

Perfection 100 

Our  illustration  is  a  good  likeness  of  the  noted  prize-winning  boar 
Success  and,  property  of  W.  C.  Norton,  agent  "Ridge  Farm  Herd/' 
Aldenville,  Pa. 


Chapter  LXIX. 


ESSEX. 

This  breed  takes  its  name  from  the  county  or  shire  of  Essex,  Eng- 
land, where  it  originated.  The  old  Essexshire  hog  was  large,  gaunt 
and  "slab-sided,"  with  a  color  varying  for  each  individual  animal. 
About  1830  Lord  Western  imported  from  Italy  a  boar  and  sow  of  the 
breed  of  Naples.  According  to  Professor  Long,  he  failed  in  his 
attempts  to  breed  these  black  Neapolitans  pure,  and  finally  began  cross- 
ing on  the  native  breed.  From  Long's  Book  of  the  Pig  we  quote  : 

"The  result  was  highly  satisfactory,  and  the  new  variety  was  commonly  successful 
at  every  agricultural  show  at  which  they  were  exhibited." 

Lord  Western  bred  them  a  number  of  years,  but  they  at  last  began 
to  lose  somewhat  their  vigorous  thrift  and  hardy  constitution.  At  this 
juncture  a  tenant  of  his  lordship — Mr.  Fisher  Hobbes — turned  his  atten- 
tion to  their  breeding,  still  further  improved  them,  fixed  the  type,  and 
called  them  the  "Improved  Essex." 

In  America  the  Essex  has  become  well  known,  particularly  so  at 
the  South,  Col.  Richard  Peters,  of  Atlanta,  Ga.,  being  one  of  the  first 
importers,  and,  with  Mr.  Harris,  of  Rochester,  N.  Y. ,  steadil)r  pushing 
the  Essex  breed  with  all  energy.  In  a  letter  to  the  Author,  1888, 
Col.  Peters  says : 

"I  commenced  breeding  from  the  English  stock  in  the  year  1856,  and  have  kept 
them  pure,  with  some  of  the  original  blood  in  their  veins,  having  obtained,  with  much 
difficulty,  an  occasional  pure-bred  to  avoid  close  in-and-in  breeding." 

DESCRIPTION    AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

The  modern  American-bred  Essex  is  a  small  to  medium-sized  hog, 
weighing  from  250  to  400  pounds  at  maturity ;  black,  or  more  properly, 
ash-black  in  color — with  fine  head,  short  nose,  beautifully  dished  face, 
erect  thin  ears,  heavy  jowl,  short  neck,  close,  "chunked"  body,  and 
short,  firm  boned  legs.  They  fatten  easily,  range  well,  are  not  troubled 
with  mange  or  sun-scald,  and  dress  as  large  a  proportion  of  live  weight 
as  any  known  breed.  Where  the  large  hogs  thrive,  and  corn  is  cheap, 
as  in  the  Western  United  States,  we  doubt  much  if  the  Essex  can  ever 
compare  profitably  with  the  Poland-China  or  Duroc-Jersey ;  but  in  the 
South,  where,  unfortunately,  Cotton  is  still  King,  we  have  not  found  his 
equal.  We  have  heard  some  objections  to  the  Essex  because  he  "gets 
too  fat ;"  we  can  only  suggest,  in  answer  to  this,  that  we  beg  to  be 

320 


ESSEX. 


321 


excused  from  close  acquaintance  with  a  hog  that  gets  too  lean  ;  ten- 
dency to  fatten  quickly  means  giving  a  greater  return  for  food  invested. 
In  an  experiment  conducted  under  the  direction  of  the  Author,  1884,  it 
was  found  that  it  took  the  following  weights  of  food  to  produce  100 
pounds  of  gain — live  weight — with  representatives  of  four  different 
breeds  : 

Essex      285  pounds  to  produce  100  pounds  gain. 

Duroc-Jersey 296 

Poland-China 300 

Berkshire 485 

The  Duroc-Jerseys  were  not  quite  pure-bred,  having  a  strain  of 
Poland-China  in  their  veins  ;  the  Berkshires  were  placed  at  a  disadvan- 
tage by  reason  of  a  slight  indisposition,  so  that  really  they  should  be 
thrown  out  of  the  experiment  altogether,  but  the  Essex — thoroughbreds 
— showed  the  high  assimilating  power  of  the  breed  in  a  very  substantial 
manner.  For  the  Southern  farmer,  we  cannot  recommend  a  better  hog 
than  the  Essex,  unless  the  Duroc-Jerseys  shall,  as  they  promise,  still 


ESSEX   SOW. 

Property  of  FRANK  WILSON,  Jackson,  Mich. 


further  improve.  An  American-Essex  Breeders'  Association  has  been 
organized,  F.  M.  Srout,  of  McLean,  111.,  secretary,  and  the  following 
Scale  of  Points  has  been  adopted  : 


Color 2 

Head 3 

Ears 2 

Jowl i 

Neck 3 

Shoulders 7 

Girth  around  heart 6 

Back 12 

Sides 6 

Ribs 7 


Forward 
21 


49 


Forward 49 

Loin 12 

Flank      2 

Ham 12 

Tail 2 

Legs 3 

Feet 3 

Hair 3 

Symmetry      10 

Action 4 

Perfection    .  .  100 


Chapter  LXX. 


NEAPOLITANS. 

The  Neapolitan,  although  not  bred  at  present  in  the  United  States 
(unless,  perhaps,  a  few  may  be  found  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York),  de- 
serves a  place  among  the  breeds  now  known  in  America,  from  the  fact 
— if  for  no  other  reason — of  its  having  taken  so  important  a  part  in  the 
foundation  of  the  Essex  breed.  The  Neapolitan  is  a  native  of  Italy, 
and  is  supposed  to  be  descended  from  eastern  stock,  brought  in  by  the 
early  Italian  voyagers.  Youatt  (Youatt  on  "  The  Pig")  says  of  the  Nea- 
politans that  they  are  "black,  or  rather  brown,  with  no  bristles,  and 
consequently  delicate  when  first  introduced  into  our  northern  climate." 
They  resemble  the  modern  Essex  somewhat,  but  are  almost  destitute  of 
hair,  and  the  head  and  front  parts  are  lighter  and  more  bony.  From  the 
report  of  the  National  Swine  Breeders'  Convention,  November  20,  1872, 
we  clip  the  following  detailed 

DESCRIPTION    OF    THE    NEAPOLITAN. 

"Head  small,  forehead  bony  and  flat  ;  face  slightly  dishing;  snout  rather  long  and 
very  slender  ;  ears  small,  thin,  standing  forward  nearly  horizontal,  and  quite  lively ; 
jowl  very  full ;  neck  short,  broad  and  heavy  above  ;  trunk  long,  cylindrical  and  well- 
ribbed  back  ;  back  flat  and  ribs  arching  even  in  low  flesh  ;  belly  horizontal  on  the  lower 
line ;  hind  quarters  higher  than  the  fore,  but  not  very  much  so  ;  legs  very  fine,  the  bones 
and  joints  being  smaller  than  those  of  any  other  breed  ;  hams  and  shoulders  well  devel- 
oped and  meaty  ;  tail  fine,  curled,  flat  at  the  extremity  and  fringed  with  hair  on  'each  side  : 
general  color,  slatish  or  bluish-plum  color,  with  cast  of  coppery  red ;  skin  soft  and  fine, 
nearly  free  from  hair,  which,  when  found  upon  the  sides  of  the  head  and  behind  the  fore- 
legs, is  black,  soft  and  rather  long  ;  flesh  firm  and  elastic  to  the  touch." 

They  are  considered  too  delicate  for  American  farmers,  and  will 
probably  never  be  extensively  introduced,  unless  the  breed  should  un- 
dergo an  almost  complete  transformation. 


322 


Chapter  LXXI. 


ENGLISH,  OR  BLACK  SUFFOLK. 

In  America,  there  is  such  a  common  impression  that  the  Suffolk  is 
a  white  hog,  that  it  is  necessary  to  treat  of  the  two  breeds  under  differ- 
ent heads.  We  have  never  seen  a  specimen  of  the  pure  Black  Suffolk, 
but  we  give  a  description  based  upon  that  given  by  the  best  English  au- 
thors of  modern  times.  The  origin  of  the  breed  is  at  best  doubtful; 
probably  the  Neapolitans  formed  much  of  the  basis  of  modern  Suffolk 
excellence,  and  indeed  some  are  of  opinion  that  the  Essex,  Black  Dor- 
set and  Black  Suffolk  are  merely  different  strains  of  the  same  breed. 
According  to  descriptions  and  portraits,  it  would  seem  that  the  Dorset 
very  closely  resembles  the  Essex,  but  not  so  with  the  Black  Suffolk,  as 
will  be  seen  from  the  following 

DESCRIPTION     AND    CHARACTERISTICS. 

The  head  is  short ;  snout  turned  up,  not  quite  so  much  as  in  the 
Small  Yorks,  but  yet  showing  much  of  similarity  to  that  well-known  breed. 
The  body  is  deep,  with  well-sprung  ribs  dropping  to  flattened  sides,  and 
short,  small-boned  legs  from  bulging  quarters.  Their  characteristics 
may  be  summed  up  as  follows:  Early  maturity,  medium  size,  great  ap- 
titude to  fatten,  high  dressing  qualities,  and  a  black  color  which  with- 
stands the  effects  of  summer  heat. 

We  are  not  aware  that  any  of  the  Black  or  English  Suffolks  are 
bred  in  the  United  States.  The  breed  might  find  some  favor  here,  but 
their  white  namesakes  have  become  so  well  known  and  so  widely  dissem- 
inated, that  it  would  be  well  nigh  impossible  at  this  late  day  to  change 
the  nomenclature  of  the  breed. 


323 


Chapter  LXXII. 


AMERICAN,    OR   WHITE   SUFFOLK. 

This  is  an  undoubted  descendant  of  the  English  York  and  Cumber- 
land breeds,  resembling  the  Small  Yorkshire  of  to-day  so  closely  in  all 
points  except  size — Suffdlks  being  somewhat  larger — as  to  preclude  any 
necessity  for  futher  description.  Many  writers  class  the  Suffolk  and 
Cheshire  together  as  representatives  of  the  "Middle  White"  breed  of 
England.  We  believe,  however,  that  Professor  Long,  in  his  '-Book  of 
the  Pig,"  comes  nearer  the  truth,  when  he  states  that  the  Suffolk  as  a 
white  hog  is  only  recognized  in  America,  whereas  in  England— its  sup- 
posed home — it  has  been  absorbed  into  what  he  calls  the  "English 
Small  White  Breed,"  of  which  the  Small  Yorkshire  is  the  representative 
in  America. 

If  we  were  to  state  any  point  of  difference,  other  than  noted  above, 
between  Suffolks  and  Small  Yorks,  it  would  be  to  compare  faces. 
Yorkshire  breeders  have  shortened-in  the  face,  and  made  a  trifle 
sharper  "dish"  than  is  the  case  with  the  Suffolk.  The  latter  is  about 
the  best  type  of  the  old  Chinese  hog  that  we  now  have,  and  displays 
such  a  tendency  to  extreme  fat — ' '  chuffiness  "  as  to  amount,  with  many, 
to  a  decided  objection.  From  the  report  of  the  National  Swine  Breed- 
ers' Convention,  1872,  we  quote  the  following  detailed 

DESCRIPTION    OF    AMERICAN    SUFFOLK. 

' '  Head  small,  very  short ;  cheeks  prominent  and  full  ;  face  dished  ;  snout  small 
and  very  short ;  jowl  fine ;  ears  short,  small,  thin,  upright,  soft  and  silky  ;  neck  very 
short  and  thick,  the  head  appearing  almost  as  if  set  on  front  of  shoulders,  no  arching  of 
crest ;  chest  wide  and  deep — elbows  standing  out ;  brisket  wide  but  not  deep  ;  shoulders 
thick,  rather  upright,  rounding  outwards  from  top  to  elbow  ;  crops  wide  and  full ;  long 
ribs,  well  arched  out  from  back  ;  good  length  between  shoulders  and  hams ;  flank  well 
filled  out,  and  coming  well  down  at  ham  ;  back  broad,  level,  straight  from  crest  to  tail, 
not  falling  off  or  down  at  tail  ;  hams  wide  and  full,  well  rounded  out,  twist  very  wide  and 
full  all  the  way  down  ;  legs  small  and  very  short,  standing  wide  apart — in  sows,  just 
keeping  belly  from  the  ground  ;  bone  fine,  feet  small,  hoofs  rather  spreading  ;  tail  small, 
long  and  tapering ;  skin  thin,  of  a  pinkish  shade,  free  from  color ;  hair  fine  and  silky, 
not  too  thick  ;  color  of  hair  pale  yellowish  white,  perfectly  free  from  any  spots  or  other 
color;  size,  small  to  medium." 


324 


Chapter  LXXIII. 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,    CARE    AND    MANAGE- 
MENT   OF    SWINE. 

The  breeding  and  handling  of  swine  is  something  of  far  more  im- 
portance than  is  generally  supposed  by  a  great  majority  of  our  farm- 
ers— those  who  should  be,  really,  best  informed  on  the  subject.  The 
amount  of  pork  that  is  consumed  yearly  in  the  United  States  is  enor- 
mous, and  gives  something  of  an  idea  of  the  magnitude  of  the  swine  in- 
dustry. Many  seem  to  think  that  the  breeding  of  swine  requires  only 
a  little  of  the  skill  and  foresight  which  is  recognized  as  being  of  prime 
necessity  in  the  handling  of  any  of  the  other  races  of  domestic  animals  ; 
but  to  such  as  have  tried  it  we  need  not  say  the  idea  is  a  mistaken  one. 
True  it  is,  that  not  so  much  of  close  attention  and  tender  petting  and 
care  to  keep  them  from  the  rugged  blasts  of  winter,  and  the  fierce, 
scalding  heat  of  summer,  is  always  given ;  but  it  may  be  stated  as  an 
axiom,  that  good  care  pays  as  well  with  hogs  as  it  does  with  other  races 
of  live  stock.  There  is  something  fascinating  about  the  feeding  and 
handing  of  a  yard  full  of  swine — a  sort  of  pleasurable  excitement  in  day 
by  day  watching  their  growth,  and  noting  their  greedy  appetites. 
Someway,  the  farmer  always  feels  that  an  animal  is  gaining  when  it 
eats,  and  a  hog  that  won't  eat  is  not  the  one  that  makes  the  profit  for 
his  owner. 

We  may  state  it  as  an  indisputable  fact  that  no  other  animal  sus- 
tains such  a  close  relation  to  the  farmer's  profit  and  loss  account  as 
does  the  hog,  and  the  reason  is  obvious ;  there  is  always  more  or  less 
waste — generally  more — about  a  farm-house,  that  cannot  be  utilized  in 
any  other  way  than  by  feeding  it  to  hogs.  It  matters  not  how  careful 
the  farmer's  wife  may  be,  she  cannot  prevent  this  constant  waste  from 
the  table,  and  the  pig-pen  is  the  natural  and  legitimate  avenue  through 
which  it  can  be  turned  to  account.  Every  gallon  of  house-slop  has  a 
certain  definite  value,  and,  although  it  is  impossible  to  rate  its  worth  in 
dollars  and  cents,  on  account  of  the  fact  that  there  is  great  difference  in 
richness  of  the  portions  thrown  from  different  tables,  yet  we  may  say,  in 
a  general  way,  that  every  four  to  seven  gallons  of  such  waste  is  equivalent 
to  one  pound  of  pork  when  properly  fed  in  connection  with  grain  or  other 
food  stuffs. 

Perhaps  the  most  common  mistake  made  by  the  average  farmer,  is 
to  adopt  one  of  two  extremes — either  feed  entirely  on  dry  corn,  all  the 

325 


326  HINTS    ON    SELECTION,     CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    SWINE. 

animals  will  eat,  or  allow  them  to  range  freely  on  what  is  supposed  to 
be  good  grass,  and  expect  them  to  grow  fat  and  contented  without  other 
food.  In  the  first  place,  no  hog  can  stand  full  feeding  on  dry  corn 
alone  for  many  weeks  in  succession  ;  he  may  not  become  diseased,  so 
far  as  appearance  and  action  are  concerned,  but  the  fevered  condition 
due  to  feeding  corn  exclusively  is  sure  to  be  there,  and  only  time  is  re- 
quired to  bring  it  out.  Do  not  think  that  we  would  underrate  the  value 
of  corn  in  fattening  hogs — we  are  too  well  aware  of  its  importance  in 
swine  feeding  to  make  any  statements  that  are  not  pretty  strongly  based 
on  a  good  foundation — but  we  do  question  whether,  as  generally  fed, 
there  is  not  more  loss  than  gain  in  its  use.  It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose 
that  when  corn  is  cheap  it  can  be  fed  at  a  profit,  regardless  of  other 
conditions ;  the  hog  demands  a  variety,  and  will  not  give  greatest 
return  for  time  and  food  invested,  unless  this  variety  is  given.  More 
than  this,  the  hog  requires  bulky  food,  not  highly  concentrated,  and 
to  provide  this,  something  besides  corn  is  necessary. 

Concerning  the  second  practice,  we  may  say :  In  a  large  section  of 
the  country  hogs  are  allowed  to  range  on  grass,  and  are  fed  corn  to 
'•harden  the  flesh,"  and  prepare  the  animal  for  market ;  such  treatment 
is  little  better  than  the  other  extreme,  for  it  is  no  longer  a  disputed 
point,  that  hogs  full-fed  on  proper  diet  will  make  a  much  greater  rela- 
tive return  for  food  consumed  than  if  the  same  food  is  given,  but  in 
smaller  quantity.  We  cannot  protest  too  strongly  against  the  custom 
of  allowing  hogs  to  run  wild  the  first  year  (stock-hogs),  and  feeding 
heavily  for  a  short  time  just  before  placing  on  the  market ;  it  is  a  waste 
in  two  directions:  (i)  loss  of  time,  and  consequent  loss  of  interest  on 
investment ;  and  (2)  a  very  great  loss  by  reason  of  the  constant  exertion 
required  to  secure  whatever  sustenance  they  may  from  the  grass  at  their 
command  ;  all  exertion  is  work,  and  all  work  has  a  natural  tendency  to 
decrease  the  production  of  fat.  It  is  urged  in  favor  of  this  system  that 
while  the  hog  is  running  at  large  he  is  growing,  and  that  if  fed  for  early 
market,  this  growth  will  be  lost.  Those  who  argue  on  this  line  forget 
that  the  object  in  raising  stock  of  any  kind  is  to  realize  the  greatest 
profit  in  the  shortest  possible  space  of  time.  There  is  only  one  reason 
(perhaps  two)  that  should  cause  a  farmer  to  carry  over  a  stock  of  hogs 
to  fatten  the  succeeding  winter,  and  that  is,  market ;  we  have  always 
been  of  opinion  that  farmers  are  primarily  to  blame  for  the  low  prices 
at  which  their  pork  is  sold.  If  they  would  get  out  of  the  old  ruts  and 
pay  off  their  debts  in  some  other  way  than  by  sacrificing  a  crop  at  the 
lowest  point  of  the  market  to  do  it,  they  would  soon  be  in  condition  to 
bid  defiance  to  the  periodical  depressions  that  affect  the  market  Every 
farmer  should  study  the  market  as  closely  as  he  studies  the  weather,  and 
when  there  is  good  promise  of  better  prices  in  the  future,  it  may  be  prof- 
itable to  hold. 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,     CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    SWINE.  327 

Another  thing  which  is  in  favor  of  early  and  high  feeding,  is  the 
fact  that  buyers  pay  more  per  pound  for  shoats — say  eight  to  ten  months 
old,  and  this  class  of  hogs  is  always  in  demand  when  old  and  "short- 
fed  "  hogs  can  hardly  be  sold  at  any  price.  To  the  practice  of  growing 
and  selling  the  hog  crop  between  tax  dates — defrauding  Uncle  Sam  out 
of  his  dues — we  cannot  forbear  calling  attention.  The  plan  may  be  of 
doubtful  propriety,  but  so  long  as  taxes  are  rendered  at  a  certain  date 
each  year,  the  farmer  can  avoid  taxes  on  his  entire  fat  hog  crop  as 
legitimately  as  can  the  banker  by  collecting  all  the  greenbacks  possible 
to  have  on  hand  the  first  day  of  January.  The  sows  are  bred  about  the 
middle  to  the  last  of  September  of  each  year,  bringing  their  litters  about 
the  middle  to  the  last  of  January  following,  and  the  pigs  are  fattened 
and  sold  at  an  age — anywhere  from  eight  to  eleven  months,  and  out  of 
the  way  before  the  next  annual  date  for  the  rendition  of  taxes.  It  may 
shock  some  of  the  literal  upholders  of  law  to  know  that  many  farmers 
are  actually  doing  this  very  thing,  but  such  is  the  fact ;  the  hog  is  to  the 
farmer  what  the  greenback  is  to  the  money  lender,  and  who  shall  dispute 
his  equal  right  to  use  him  in  an  equally  legitimate  way. 

While  speaking  of  the  proper  food  for  hogs,  we  may  notice  some 
very  interesting  experiments  that  have  been  carried  on — first  by  Pro- 
fessor Sanborn,  of  Missouri,  and  afterward  by  Professor  Henry,  of  Wis- 
consin— regarding  the  relative  effects  of  "fat  and  carbhydrates  as  com- 
pared with  albuminoids  in  the  production  of  flesh  and  fat  in  the  body.  Ac- 
cording to  these  experiments,  and  they  are  certainly  accurate,  it  is  found 
that  a  diet  made  up  largely  of  protein  (albuminoids)  causes  a  very  much 
larger  proportion  of  lean  meat :  while  a  diet  composed  mainly  of  the 
starchy  elements  (carbhydrates)  and  fat,  gives  a  very  large  proportion 
of  fat,  which  is  scattered  through  the  body  in  bunches.  To  sum  up,  in 
the  words  of  Professor  Henry,  the  experiments  show  that  when  there  is 
an  excessive  proportion  of  carbhydrates  in  the  food,  or  a  corresponding 
deficiency  of  protein  : 

"1st.  That  there  is  an  excessive  development  of  fat  not  only  on  the  outside  of  the 
muscles  and  beneath  the  skin,  but  also  among  the  muscles. 

"and.  That  the  muscles  of  the  body  fail  to  develop  to  their  normal  size,  especially 
some  of  the  most  important  ones,  as  those  along  the  back. 

"3d.  That  an  abnormally  small  amount  of  hair  and  thin  skin  results. 

"4th.  That  while  the  brain,  heart  and  lungs  do  not  seem  to  gain  in  weight,  the 
spleen,  liver  and  kidneys  are  unusually  small. 

"  5th.  The  amount  of  blood  in  the  body  is  greatly  reduced  from  the  normal. 

"6th.   The  strength  of  the  bones  may  be  reduced  one-half'" 

The  practical  value  of  these  results  to  the  farmer  has  been  dis- 
puted, but  they  certainly  teach  a  very  important  scientific  truth.  The 
farmer  wants  to  know  the  exact  ration  that  will  give  the  greatest  gain  in 
live  weight — be  it  muscle  or  fat — in  proportion  to  food  consumed,  al- 
ways keeping  the  animal  in  healthy  condition ;  and  it  may  be  noted 


328  HINTS    ON    SELECTION,     CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    SWINE. 

that,  until  buyers  can  be  educated  up  to  the  point  of  appreciating  the 
superior  value  of  lean  pork  over  fat,  it  will  hardly  pay  to  put  any  extra 
expense  into  hog  feeding  to  obtain  this  large  proportion  of  lean  meat. 
The  health  of  the  animal  is  of  prime  importance,  and  we  may  be  par- 
doned for  saying  that  herein  lies  the  great  value  to  the  farmer  of  the 
lesson  drawn  from  Professor  Henry's  experiments.  It  is  a  fact,  as  stated 
above,  that  corn  is  not  a  good  food-stuff  for  exclusive  feeding,  and  the 
experiments  by  the  Professor  seem  to  show  the  reason.  Corn  is  defi- 
cient in  protein,  and  is  not,  therefore,  a  good  food,  unless  supplemented 
by  something  richer  in  this  element.  The  remarks  by  Mr.  T.  G.  Terry, 
before  the  Indiana  Swine  Breeders'  Association,  Indianapolis,  Ind., 
January,  1888,  illustrate  very  aptly  the  exact  place  filled  by  the  results 
of  these  experiments,  and  we  quote  his  statements  in  full  as  reported  in 
the  Breeders'  Gazette  of  February  ist,  1888: 

"I  have  made  a  good  many  experiments  in  feeding,  commencing  back  in  1869,  and 
have  tried  different  plans,  and  last  fall  I  made  the  most  successful  experiment  in  feeding 
for  lean  for  my  own  pork.  When  I  killed  one  of  the  pigs  (a  cross-bred  Cheshire-Poland- 
China),  it  happened  to  be  just  the  time  Professor  Henry's  experiments  were  published, 
and  I  will  say  that  taking  the  center  cut  of  the  ham  it  did  not  have  fat  enough  to  fry  it. 
The  pig  was  six  months  old,  and  dressed  135  Ibs.  I  fed  it  on  oats,  bran  and  shorts,  and 
nothing  else  (no  milk),  and  the  verdict  of  those  who  ate  the  pork  was  that  it  was  the 
nicest  and  juiciest  ever  put  into  their  mouths.  I  am  feeding  all  my  pigs  intended  for 
family  pork  in  that  way.  It  may  cost  more,  but  for  our  own  eating  we  can  afford  it." 

This  last  statement  contains  the  milk  of  the  cocoanut.  It  may  cost 
more,  undoubtedly  does  cost  more,  to  feed  protein  than  to  feed  starch ; 
the  thinking,  reasoning  farmer  will,  .therefore,  feed  just  such  propor- 
tion of  this  valuable  ingredient  as  will  bring  highest  returns  in  gross 
weight,  and  no  more — since  the  buyer  will  pay  no  more  for  lean  meat 
than  for  fat ;  but  when  it  comes  to  feeding  for  the  home  barrel,  we  can 
afford  to  put  a  little  extra  expense  into  the  feed  in  order  to  produce  an 
extra  amount  of  that  richest  of  all  meats,  lean  pork. 

We  had  no  idea  of  writing  an  essay  on  the  feeding  of  swine.  The 
reader  can  obtain  more  valuable  information  from  the  statements  of 
actual  methods  pursued  by  such  men  as  are  represented  in  the  letters 
given  below,  and  we  must  beg  pardon  for  thus  wandering  so  far  from 
our  intention  in  the  preceding  discussion.  We  may,  however,  state 
briefly  a  few  points,  as  an  aid  in  the  selection  of  breeding  stock,  and 
trust  the  reader  will  find  something  of  interest,  if  not  of  profit,  in  their 
perusal. 

The  boar  is  by  all  odds  the  most  important,  if  not  the  largest,  half 
of  the  herd,  and  his  selection  should  be  made  with  the  greatest  care. 
We  do  not  propose  to  give  any  advice  as  to  breed  from  which  he  should 
be  selected;  there  area  good  many  breeds,  and  from  the  preceding 
chapters  under  Part  Fourth,  the  reader  may  obtain  that  which  will  aid 
in  choosing  a  breed  best  suiting  his  own  peculiar  conditions.  But  it  may 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,     CARE    AND    MANAGEiMENT    OF    SWINE.  329 

be  stated,  that  a  boar  should  combine  the  best  of  the  dominant  charac- 
teristics of  the  breed  to  which  he  belongs,  He  should  be  close,  com- 
pact, shorter  than  the  model,  rather  than  longer,  and  should  be 
sprightly,  active  and  vigorous — even  bold — in  appearance.  If  breeding 
to  secure  any  particular  result,  the  boar  should  be  selected  with  refer- 
ence to  the  particular  characteristics  desired ;  if  breeding  to  sows  too 
long  and  straight  in  the  face — a  very  common  fault — he  should  have  an 
unusually  short  and  sharply  dished  face  ;  if  bred  to  sows  inclined  to  be 
peaked  and  narrow  across  the  back,  he  should  have  especial  width  and 
fullness  in  these  parts ;  if  mated  with  sows  that  are  inclined  to  lay  on 
fat  in  bunches,  he  should  be  selected  from  a  strain  or  breed  that  is 
noted  for  interlarding  its  fat  and  lean  ;  in  brief,  select  the  boar  with  ref- 
erence, always,  to  correcting  whatever  evils  may  exist  in  your  herd, 
and  you  will  obtain  satisfactory  results. 

The  sow  is  selected  with  a  view  to  modifying  the  impress  of  the 
male  on  their  combined  offspring.  She  controls  almost  entirely  the  num- 
ber of  pigs  in  a  litter,  and  exercises  a  very  important  influence  on  their 
strength  and  stamina  at  the  time  they  are  ushered  into  the  world.  The 
sow  should  always  be  selected  from  a  family  noted  for  its  prolificacy  ;  it 
is  a  well  known  fact  that  the  quality  of  bearing  either  large  or  small  litters 
is  one  which  runs  in  families,  and  when  a  sow  is  selected  for  profitable 
breeding  she  should,  by  all  means,  be  taken  from  one  of  these  large 
bearing  strains.  The  sow  should  be  almost  the  opposite  of  the  boar  in 
many  ways — instead  of  being  short  and  close-coupled,  she  should  be 
long  and  rangy  in  her  make  up,  especially  wide  and  deep  at  the  pelvis, 
and  with  at  least  twelve  well  developed,  prominent  nipples.  As  a  rule, 
better  pigs,  larger  litters  and  greater  profits  will  be  obtained  from  sows 
fully  matured  in  all  respects.  Those  who  practice  breeding  young  sows 
— turning  them  off  for  the  market  after  one,  or  at  most  two  litters — can- 
not compete  with  equally  skillful  breeders  who  breed  only  from  matured 
sows.  The  sow  should  not  be  selected  before  she  has  reached  an  age  of 
at  least  four  or  five  months  ;  about  this  time  changes  occur  which  might 
lead  to  quite  a  different  choice  from  selections  made  when  the  pigs  were 
only  a  few  weeks  old.  Health  and  constitution  are  two  prime  factors  in 
profitable  pork  raising,  and  to  secure  these,  both  sow  and  boar  must 
have  a  large  girth  back  of  the  fore  legs,  and  be  deep  and  wide  in  the 
chest.  Clean  skin  ;  thin,  soft,  glossy  hair  ;  fine,  delicate  ears  ;  short, 
neatly-dished  face  ;  short  neck,  and  fine-boned,  trimly  made  legs,  are 
sure  indications,  in  either  boar  or  sow,  that  the  animal  will  be  an  easy 
keeper  ;  while  the  reverse — long  head,  straight  nose,  and  narrow  or  flat- 
sided  body — almost  always  denote  a  large  appetite,  and  not  always  an 
equivalent  return.  A  mean  between  these  two  types  will  usually  be 
found  more  profitable,  and  there  are  many  breeds  now  known  that  fill 
this  middle  ground  to  perfection. 


330  HINTS    ON    SELECTION,     CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    SWINE. 

In  the  following  letters  will  be  found  a  good  many  solid  facts. 
"Nothing  succeeds  like  success,"  and  the  breeders  who  have  thus  given 
us  the  benefit  of  their  experience  are  all  men  who  have  made  a  success 
of  the  business  of  raising  hogs.  We  advise  a  careful  perusal. 

Berkshires. 

HAW  HILL,  SPRINGFIELD,  ILL.,  August  10,  1888. 
*        *        *        * 

' '  Whether  pigs  are  to  be  reared  and  sold  for  breeding  purposes,  or  to  be  grown  and 
fattened  for  market,  our  general  rule  is  to  breed  the  sows  as  nearly  as  practicable  during 
the  second  week  in  November  ;  the  pigs  will  then  come  about  the  ist  of  March  following. 

"In  this  latitude,  with  the  breed  we  handle,  nine  months  is  long  enough  to  allow 
for  the  growing  and  fattening  of  a  hog  ;  this  brings  the  fattened  hogs  into  market  about 
the  first  of  December.  The  first  of  March  is  also  a  good  time  to  have  pigs  come  that  are 
to  be  reared  and  sold  as  breeders.  Both  they  and  those  intended  for  pork  have  the  sum- 
mer on  grass.  All  are  thus  more  cheaply  raised,  are  more  healthy,  make  better  pork 
product  and  better  breeding  stock.  We  prefer  a  good  boar  from  two  to  five  years  of  age, 
to  one  only  eight  to  twelve  months  old,  though  the  latter  may  give  every  promise  of  mak- 
ing a  very  superior  animal  when  fully  matured.  A  young  boar,  however,  from  an  early 
spring  litter,  if  properly  taken  care  of  through  the  summer,  may  be  used  with  full-grown 
sows  in  November,  or  better,  a  month  later.  The  pigs  will  hardly  be  inferior  in  size  and 
vigor  to  those  sired  by  an  older  boar,  particularly  if  the  sows  bred  to  the  old  boar  were 
young  or  not  well  matured.  In  fact,  we  keep  two  boars  all  the  time,  often  three,  and 
when  we  get  one  that  is  particularly  to  our  liking  we  use  him  year  after  year,  though  not, 
except  rarely,  on  his  own  get.  At  the  time  the  boars  are  to  be  used  in  the  fall,  we  wish 
them  to  be  in  good,  healthy  condition — the  young  boar  growing,  and  the  old  one  laying 
on  flesh  as  fast  as  his  restricted  allowance  of  feed  will  permit,  for  he  should  not  be  fed 
all  the  rich  food  he  can  eat,  like  a  fattening  hog,  nor  as  much  as  a  young  and  growing 
boar.  After  he  has  commenced  service  he  is  fed  more  liberally,  depending  upon  the 
amount  of  service  required  of  him  ;  and  so  also  with  the  young  boar — his  rations  are 
increased,  though  only  as  needed  to  keep  him  in  a  good,  vigorous  condition. 

' '  The  condition  of  the  sows  at  the  time  they  are  served  is  also  a  matter  of  impor- 
tance. Having  summered  on  grass,  and  being  only  moderately  fat,  they  are  taken  up  in 
October  and  put  on  a  diet  of  more  or  less  grain,  depending  on  the  weather.  They  take, 
as  it  were,  a  new  start  in  growth  if  young,  or  in  laying  on  flesh  if  old.  When  they  do 
this,  and  come  in  season,  it  is  the  right  time  to  breed  them.  They  are  more  certain  to 
hold  if  served  at  this  time  than  later,  or  after  they  become  fat.  One  good  service  is  all 
that  is  needed.  The  sow  is  placed  in  a  pen  or  yard  by  herself  until  fully  over  her  heat. 
She  is  then  put  with  others  that  have  been  bred.  It  is  best  not  to  keep  more  than  four 
or  five  in  the  same  yard  ;  two  or  three  only  would  be  still  better,  though  it  is  more  trouble 
to  have  so  many  small  lots  to  feed,  and  more  expensive  making  so  many  shelters.  Some 
regard  is  also  had  to  dividing  them  according  to  size. 

"  The  time  of  service  is  noted  down,  and  time  when  due  to  farrow — counting  sixteen 
weeks  from  date  of  service— is  also  noted.  From  the  i8th  to  the  aist  day  the  sow  is 
noticed  carefully,  to  see  if  she  comes  in  heat  again.  If  she  does  she  is  served,  and  the 
new  date  recorded.  About  the  middle  of  February,  or  two  weeks  before  the  pigs  are  due, 
each  sow  is  put  in  a  comfortable  pen  by  herself,  and  well  bedded.  Here  she  is  gentled 
by  the  feeder,  to  whom  she  soon  becomes  accustomed.  Her  feed  during  this  time  is  such 
as  will  tend  to  keep  the  bowels  open.  Much  use  of  dry  corn  is  avoided.  When  she  makes 
her  bed,  preparatory  to  farrowing,  care  is  taken  that  she  does  not  have  too  much  straw  or 
litter  to  work  with.  Better  have  a  warm  or  well-sheltered  pen  and  less  bedding  for  there  is 
much  danger  of  the  pigs  being  over-laid  when  the  bedding  is  too  plentiful  or  coarse.  The  pigs 
usually  come  strong,  and  soon  find  their  way  to  the  teats.  If  they  are  weak  and  helpless, 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,     CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    SWINE.  331 

it  seems  hardly  worth  while  spending  time  with  them.  Half  of  a  litter  may  thus  be  lost, 
and  sometimes  all,  but  if  any  survive  they  are  apt  to  do  better  and  make  us  more  money, 
considering  time  and  trouble  saved,  than  to  have  saved  all.  We  are  inclined  to  think  the 
career  of  the  runt  pig,  as  a  runt,  begins  before  it  is  born,  and  comes  from  not  being  as 
well  nourished  as  his  fellows  before  entering  life  on  his  own  account.  The  early  backset 
thus  given  a  pig  may  doubtless  be  overcome,  in  a  measure  at  least,  by  special  care  and 
liberal  feeding  afterwards.  In  cases  of  scarcity  of  stock  the  extra  attention  given  runt 
pigs,  or  those  weakly  at  birth,  may  be  made  to  pay  well. 

"After  the  pigs  are  farrowed,  the  sow  is  given  all  the  warm  drink  she  will  take. 
This  is  made  by  scalding  wheat  bran  and  ship  stuff  with  hot  water,  and  then  adding  cold 
water  and  skimmed  milk,  if  the  latter  is  at  hand,  until  reduced  to  the  right  temperature. 
If  given  her  cold  at  this  time  of  year,  she  will  go  to  her  bed  chilled  and  uncomfortable, 
but  if  warm  and  palatable  she  will  lie  down  and  be  quiet,  while  the  little  pigs  will  suck, 
sleep  and  grow  strong.  It  is  surprising  how  fast  a  few  good  fillings  with  milk  and  a  few 
good  sleeps  will  send  them  along. 

"The  feed  of  the  sow  is  but  little  increased  during  the  first  week  or  ten  days.  By 
the  time  the  pigs  are  three  or  four  weeks  old,  if  they  have  done  well,  they  will  have  be- 
come a  real  burden  to  the  sow,  and  she  will  begin  to  fall  off  in  flesh  rapidly  unless  in  the 
meantime  her  rations  have  been  gradually  increased  in  richness  as  well  as  in  quantity. 
When  four  weeks  old  the  young  pigs  are  offered  feed  in  a  trough  by  themselves,  where  it 
cannot  be  reached  by  the  sow.  They  soon  learn  to  eat,  and  with  this  help  they  grow  still 
faster.  When  they  are  eight  or  ten  weeks  old  the  sow  is  taken  from  them,  or  they  from  the 
sow,  as  is  most  convenient  at  the  time.  Before  weaning,  however,  they  are  all  carefully 
marked,  and  the  marks  recorded,  so  that  the  parentage  of  each  may  always  be  known. 
About  two  weeks  before  weaning  the  males  that  are  intended  for  pork -making  are  cas- 
trated. In  case  any  of  these  are  not  fully  recovered  or  doing  well,  they  are  left  with  the 
sow  a  few  days  or  a  week  longer  than  the  others. 

' '  A  few  weeks  after  weaning,  all  the  young  boars  that  are  to  be  sold  for  breeding 
purposes  are  separated  from  the  others,  and  placed  out  of  sight,  as  well  as  they  can  be, 
of  other  pigs  or  hogs.  They  are  kept  until  sold  on  grass  so  far  as  practicable,  in  the 
orchard  or  small  pasture,  and  fed  on  almost  anything  that  happens  to  be  available,  only 
they  are  given  very  little  corn.  We  prefer  oats,  rye,  vegetables,  purslane  and  wind-fallen 
apples.  When  we  buy  feed,  it  is  usually  wheat  bran,  ship  stuff  and  oil  meal  [linseed] 
for  making  into  swill  with  skimmed  milk. 

' '  The  sow  pigs  are  kept  and  fed  in  much  the  same  way,  as  are  also  the  barrows  and 
all  intended  for  fattening  for  pork,  except  that  these  last  are  put  on  more  of  a  corn  diet 
early  in  the  fall.  As  soon  as  new  corn  is  large  enough,  some  is  cut  each  day  and  thrown 
to  the  pigs,  stalk  and  ear  together,  on  the  ground,  while  they  are  still  in  the  pastures. 
Later,  the  feeding  stock  is  separated  from  the  breeding  stock.  We  try  to  keep  the  latter 
in  good  growing  condition  during  summer  and  fall,  but  from  the  ist  of  September  to  the 
ist  of  December  the  others  are  fed  with  a  view  to  fattening  as  well  as  making  growth. 
We  aim  to  have  them  weigh  from  225  to  250  pounds  at  nine  months  old,  and  to  have  them 
sold  before  winter  sets  in.  The  most  of  the  breeders  are  also  sold  by  this  time,  though 
some  of  the  young  sows  are  always  reserved  to  be  bred  in  the  fall  and  then  sold  during 
the  winter  as  sows  due  to  farrow  in  the  spring. 

"In  this  hurried  recital  of  our  methods,  little  has  been  said  of  the  kinds  and  quan- 
tities of  feed  given,  simply  because  what  can  and  should  be  used  in  our  climate  or  locality 
cannot  perhaps  be  had  in  another.  The  pig  is  as  omnivorous  a  feeder  as  is  man,  and  can 
about  as  readily  adapt  himself  to  the  circumstances  of  feed  and  surroundings  as  can  his 
keeper.  For  similar  reasons  nothing  has  been  said  of  the  construction  of  pens  and  shel- 
ters. Here  hogs  do  well  with  open  sheds  facing  the  south.  With  a  good  and  dry  floor, 
thereby  insuring  to  the  hog  a  dry  bed,  he  will  not  suffer  much  in  winter  if  reasonably  well 


332  HINTS    ON    SELECTION,     CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    SWINE. 

fed.  If  warmer  quarters  are  provided,  less  feed  may  be  required  ;  but  it  is  hard  to  draw 
the  line  between,  or  explain  in  a  few  words,  the  dangers  or  risks  of  warm  and  poorly 
ventilated  hog-houses,  as  compared  with  the  advantages  and  safety  of  less  expensive  and 
more  airy  quarters.  PHIL  THRIFTON." 

The  writer  of  the  above  needs  no  introduction  to  the  reading  public. 
The  "  Haw  Hill"  breeder  is  a  Berkshire  man  all  over,  and  one  who  has 
done  much  to  advance  the  breed  in  popular  favor.  His  methods  are 
clearly  outlined,  and  will  furnish  an  excellent  guide  for  breeders  of  any 
class  of  swine. 

Duroc-Jt  rseys . 

PINEWOOD,  TENN.,  August  6,  1888. 
*        *        *        * 

"We  couple  our  sows  early  in  November,  which  brings  the  farrowing  time  to  the 
latter  part  of  February  or  first  of  March.  Pigs  farrowed  at  this  time  will  be  ten  weeks 
old  by  the  middle  of  May,  at  which  age  they  will  have  been  weaned  and  ready  for  ship- 
ment, enabling  us  to  get  them  off  to  their  new  homes  before  the  hot  weather  of  spring 
comes  on.  If  bred  for  pork,  we  prefer  that  the  farrowing  should  be  a  couple  of  weeks 
later,  as  the  grass  will  by  that  time  be  a  little  farther  advanced,  thus  enabling  the  sows  to 
suckle  better.  After  the  sows  are  bred  we  separate  them  from  the  herd,  and  keep  them 
in  lots  or  pastures  in  which  there  is  plenty  of  good  water.  We  feed  them  so  as  to  keep 
in  thrifty  condition,  using  the  best  variety  of  food  that  we  can  command.  We  usually 
feed  corn,  oats  and  cut  sorghum.  Sorghum  we  value  very  highly  ;  it  supplies  the  place 
of  grass,  as  it  is  very  sweet  and  juicy,  and  tends  to  keep  the  sows  from  becoming  feverish, 
as  they  frequently  do  if  fed  on  dry  food  all  the  time.  We  keep  the  vermin  off  by  greasing 
the  sows  with  any  waste  grease,  in  which  we  put  a  little  coal  oil.  We  keep  within  their 
reach  a  mixture  of 

Wood  ashes i  bushel. 

Charcoal    .  i  bushel. 

Salt YL  bushel. 

Sulphur 5  pounds. 

"  A  couple  of  weeks  before  farrowing  time  we  remove  the  sow  to  a  lot  in  which  is  a 
movable  house  8  x  10,  open  on  one  side,  which  faces  the  south,  the  roof  sloping  toward  the 
north.  Into  this  house  we  throw  a  lot  of  hay  out  of  which  the  sow  makes  her  bed.  The 
sow  should  be  noticed  a  week  before  farrowing,  and  if  her  bowels  are  not  open  she  should 
be  fed  warm  bran  slops,  which  will  generally  open  her  bowels  and  prevent  that  feverish 
condition  that  is  so  often  seen  at  farrowing  time,  and  which  causes  so  many  sows  to  eat 
their  pigs,  or  kill  them  by  being  restless,  and  lying  on  them.  At  farrowing  time  it  is  best 
to  leave  the  sow  to  herself,  as  frequently  sows  are  excited  by  the  presence  of  some  well- 
wisher,  and  in  their  efforts  to  drive  off  the  intruder,  kill  the  little  pigs.  After  the  far- 
rowing is  all  over,  and  while  the  sow  is  quiet,  remove  any  dead  pigs  and  the  afterbirth, 
as  sometimes  sows  are  caused  to  kill  and  eat  their  pigs  by  getting  a  taste  of  those  that 
may  be  left  dead  in  the  bed.  For  the  first  day  or  so  warm  bran  slops  will  be  sufficient 
food  to  give  her,  after  which  the  feed  may  be  gradually  increased  until  the  pigs  are  two 
weeks  old,  by  which  time  she  should  have  all  she  will  eat  of  as  great  a  variety  of  feed  as 
can  be  given  her.  When  the  pigs  are  a  little  over  two  weeks  old  they  will  begin  to  eat  a 
little  slop,  which  should  be  given  them  in  troughs  about  three  inches  deep  ;  warm  kitchen 
slops  will  be  most  acceptable  to  them,  after  which  cornmeal,  made  into  a  thin  mush  and 
well  cooked,  is  much  relished  by  them.  At  a  month  old  we  give  them  meal  raw,  mixed 
in  kitchen  slops  or  cold  water,  in  which  a  little  salt  is  put ;  we  sometimes  give  corn  soaked 
in  water  for  24  hours,  again  dry  corn,  changing  the  feed  to  keep  the  appetite  sharp.  Care 
has  to  be  exercised  in  feeding,  as  sometimes  heavy  feeding  causes  indigestion  and  scours, 


HINTS    ON    SELECTION,     CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    SWINE.  333 

which  sets  the  pigs  back  several  weeks,  if  it  does  not  kill  them.  At  the  age  of  10  weeks 
the  pigs  are  weaned  and  such  as  are  suitable  we  ship  or  reserve  for  breeders ;  the  others 
we  castrate  and  spay,  and  place  with  the  herd  that  is  being  handled  for  pork.  Some- 
times the  pigs  when  a  few  days  old  are  troubled  by  their  tails  and  ears  becoming  sore. 
If  not  attended  to  promptly  the  tails  frequently  come  off  near  the  body.  At  the  first 
appearance  of  the  sores  we  wash  the  tails  and  ears  with  castile  soap  and  anoint  them  with 
lard,  in  which  a  little  carbolic  acid  and  sulphur  have  been  incorporated.  Occasionally 
sows  are  observed  to  lie  on  their  bellies  and  refuse  to  let  the  pigs  suck  ;  this  is  because 
the  pigs  bite  the  teats  with  their  sharp,  briery  tusks  ;  remove  them  with  a  pair  of  nippers, 
and  the  trouble  will  be  removed  and  the  pigs  will  be  none  the  worse  for  the  operation. 
Whether  pigs  are  being  bred  for  breeders  or  for  pork  the  sows  should  be  kept  separate 
from  the  pork  hogs,  nor  should  many  sows  be  allowed  to  carry  their  pigs  in  the  same  lot, 
for  the  reason  that  the  oldest  and  strongest  pigs  will  whip  the  smaller  ones  and  appro- 
priate their  share  of  the  milk  as  well  as  their  own.  Pigs  that  are  destined  to  be  killed  for 
pork  we  place  in  the  clover  fields,  and  give  them  daily  a  feed  of  dry  corn  to  keep  them 
gentle  and  to  push  them  forward.  Pigs  farrowed  in  March  should,  if  properly  handled, 
average  200  to  250  pounds  by  the  middle  of  November.  Those  that  come  later  are  car- 
ried through  the  winter  and  killed  the  following  winter  or  fattened  and  sold  in  June. 

"S.   L.  GRAHAM  &  SON." 

The  Messrs.  Graham  have  our  thanks  for  their  methods  in  detail. 
The  antiseptic  mixture  (wood  ashes,  charcoal,  salt  and  sulphur)  which 
they  use  is  of  much  more  importance  than  many  suppose;  hogs  fed 
liberally  on  green  stuff,  and  given  free  access  to  simple  preventives  of 
this  kind,  are  the  last  ones  to  succumb  to  attacks  of  cholera  and  other 
dread  diseases  to  which  the  hog  tribe  is  subject.  The  plan  of  changing 
food  at  frequent  intervals,  to  keep  the  appetite  sharp,  should  be  empha- 
sized ;  too  many  expect  a  hog  to  thrive  on  one  particular  kind  of  diet, 
and  think  all  that  is  necessary  is  to.  give  them  plenty  of  it. 

Small  Yorkshires  and  Berkshires, 

"BERMUDA  PARK  PLACE,   GRISWOLDVILLE,   GA.,  Aug.   14,   1888. 
#        *        #        * 

' '  We  have  had  some  experience  both  at  the  North  and  in  the  South  in  breeding,  and 
find  that  this  section— Middle  Georgia — offers  the  same  advantages  for  hog  raising  that  is 
found  at  the  North.  It  is  true  that  some  kinds  of  feed,  such  as  corn,  are  more  expensive, 
but  as  a  compensation,  so  much  is  not  needed.  The  pastures  or  fields  furnish  more  or 
less  sustenance  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  and  are  peculiarly  rich  in  the  fall,  just  before 
the  fattening  season  ;  this  lightens  the  expense  of  corn  feeding. 

"We  have  made  a  specialty  of  Berkshires  and  Small  Yorkshires.  Other  breeds 
would  doubtless  do  as  well.  In  the  Berkshire,  we  have  size  and  weight;  in  the  Yorkshire 
a  compact  form  and  quick  growth.  They  make  a  good  cross  for  fattening  purposes.  We 
keep  such  numbers  only  as  the  farm  will  support.  We  have  the  sour  milk  from  a  dairy, 
and  can  manage  five  hogs  and  pigs  to  each  cow  in  milk.  This  gives  us  the  coarse  slops 
for  the  larger  hogs,  and  pure  milk  for  the  pigs,  which  are  fed  separately.  We  feed  little 
grain  in  the  summer,  only  enough  to  keep  the  stock  growing. 

"We  breed  for  two  purposes — for  sale  as  breeders  and  for  use  on  the  plantation. 
We  do  not  breed  or  dress  for  the  shows.  We  have  registered  hogs  that  will  go  into  the 
tub  this  winter.  It  is  cheaper  and  easier  to  raise  and  fatten  a  thoroughbred  Yorkshire 
than  any  grade  known  to  us.  In  order  to  secure  health  we  have  the  hog  lots  on  a  hill 
side,  with  pens  and  sheds  at  the  upper  end,  and  an  abundance  of  pure  spring  water  at 


334  HINTS    ON    SELECTION,     CARE    AND    MANAGEMENT    OF    SWINE. 

the  other.  We  never  pen  our  hogs  except  for  fattening.  We  never  clean  them  except 
to  wash  pigs  infected  with  scab  or  some  skin  disease.  Hogs  clean  themselves  in  the 
wallow  as  chickens  do  in  the  dust.  It  is  safe  to  keep  50  or  100  hogs  and  pigs  together, 
but  beyond  that  remember  the  danger  of  disease  is  increased.  The  males  are  changed 
every  year  or  two.  A  good  plan  is  for  neighbors  to  exchange  males  frequently,  thus  in- 
suring both  health  and  vigor.  N.  G.  BUFF." 

Mr.  Buff  is  a  breeder  who  has  had  success  with  white  hogs  in  the 
South,  but  he  is  located  in  a  section  that  will  compare  favorably — as  he 
says — with  more  northern  localities  in  this  respect.  In  other  and  less 
favored  spots — as  to  water,  pasture  and  elevation — the  reports  are 
pretty  uniformly  against  white  hogs  in  general,  unless  handled  with 
great  care. 


INDEX. 


Illustrations  in  Bold  Faced  Typ<>. 


Quotations  in  Italics. 


Abbess  (Polled  Durham  cow) 2O3 

Abdallah    66,70 

Aberdeen-Angus   ...  196-200 

Acme  (Am.  Holderness  bull) 145 

Adelaide  (Am.  Holderness  cow)  .  .  .147 
Advanced  Register,  Conditions  for  ad- 
mission to  ....    118,  120 

Albany  sow 314,  316 

Alderney 125 

Alexander's  Abdallahs,   The 66,70 

Alhambra 62 

Allen,  Leivis  F. fjf,  ij6,  ijo,  220 

Allerton 72,  73,  74,  108 

Almanzor 48 

Almonts,  The 66 

American  Eclipse 48-49 

American  Holderness 144-147 

American  Merinos 238-254 

American  Saddle  Horses 58-60 

American  Star 62,  68,  71,  106 

American  (or  White)  Suffolk 324 

American  Thoroughbred,  Origin  of.  .47-48 

American    Trotter,   The 80,  82 

American  Trotters 61-89 

Andrew  Jackson 66 

Anglesea  Cattle 180 

Anna  (German  Coach  mare) 43 

Ansel 108 

Ap     Guilm    (North    Wales    Black 

bull) 181 

Aquierre  Family  of  Merinos 240,  244 

Arion ,. 79 

Atwood  Merinos 241-243 

Atzuood  Register 241-242 

Atwood,  Stephen,  Certificate  of.  .  .241,  242 

Auterdale  Breed  (Swine) 307 

Axtell 73,  74 

Ayrshire  Group 137 

Ayrshires 135-139 


Baldstockings,  The 66 

Banquet 56 

Bard,    The    (American    Thorough- 
bred)   50,  51,  52,  54 

Baron  (Hampshire  ram) 268 

Baron    Valiant    (Aberdeen-Angus 

bull) 197 

Bars  First .  .  90 

Bartlett's  Childers 48 

Barnum,  P.  T. 140 

Bashaws,  The 64,  66 

Beautiful  Bay 64 

Bedford  Swine 305 

Beef  Breeds 115 

Beef,  Selection  for 225 

Belgian  Draft 19-21 

Belle  Hamlin 70 

Belle  Vara 77 

Bellfounder,  Imported 62,  66,  71 

Berkshire  Group 295 

Berkshires 294-299 

Betsy  Malone .    .   54 

Betsy  Trotwood 68 

Bicycle  Sulky 63,  80 

Big  Chinas  (Swine) 298 

Big  Spotted  (Swine) 298 

Billy  Boyce 101 

Bishop's  Hambletonian   68 

Bisson's  Belle,  Butter  Record  of.  ..128,  129 

Black  Faced  Heath  Breed  (Sheep) 257 

Blackhawks,  The 66 

Black  Suffolk 323 

Black-Top  Ewes 251 

Black-Top  Merinos 249-251 

Black-  Top  Register 250 

Blaze 48,  61 

Blue  Bull 66,  82 

Blue  Bulls,  The 66 

Blue  Ribbon  of  the  Turf  (Curzon) 50 


335 


336 


INDEX. 


Blue  Sign 80 

Boars,  Care  of 328,  329 

Bolingbroke 158 

Bond's  First  Consul 64 

Banner,  Robert 77 

Bos  gaurus 211 

Bos  Indicus 210 

Bos  Primigenius  .4 184 

Bos  taurus 210 

Boulonnais 19 

fioivman,  J.  H.  &  IV.  R.,  Methods  of  112 

Brahmin  Cattle 210,  214 

Brahmin  Group 213 

Breaking  Colts no,  112,  113 

Brienz,  Butter  record  of 150 

Brinker's  Drennon . , 58 

Brunette  (Belgian  mare) 21 

Brittany  Bull 152 

Brittany  Cow 153 

Brittanies 152-153 

Broivn,  Prof.  Wm.,  Report  of. .  .170,  ijz 

Brown  Swiss 148-151 

Brown  Swiss  Cow  151 

Buchour  (Brahmins) 210 

Buckdeil  (English  Shire  stallion)  . .  .28 

Buck-Kneed 1O5 

' '  Bull-dog  Trotter  "  (Allerton) 73 

Bulls,  Care  of 226,  228-231 

Bulrush  64 

Butter  fat,  Test  for 120,  130,  172 

Butter  Records : 

Ayrshires 139 

Brown  Swiss 150 

Guernseys 132 

Holstein-Friesians 122,  123 

Jerseys    128,  130,  132 

Button,  R.  D. ,  Letter  from 314,  315 

Byerly  Turk 48 

Byfield  (Swine) 298 

Cabell's  Lexington 58 

Cade 61 

Calf-Kneed 1O5 

Calves,  Care  of 225-233 

Calving 226,  227,  228,  230-232 

Campbell,  Jno.  R.  Jr. ,  Methods  of  .288,  28g 

Cannock  Heath  Sheep 264 

Canadian  Pony 96 

Cart  Horse 22,  27 

Cashmere  Goats 211 

Cattle,    Selection,   Care  and  Manage- 
ment of 223-233 


Cattle,  Summary  of  Part  Second 115 

Cawdor,  Earl  of '. 180 

Champions,  The 66 

Cheshires 314-316 

Chester-Whites   ...    305-306 

Cheviot  Bam 258 

Cheviots 257-259 

Chicago  Horseman .jy 

Chinese  Swine 294,  324 

Clark  Chief 68 

Clays,  The 64,  66 

Cleveland  Bays   34-36 

Clingstone  2nd  (Atwood  ram). .  .242 
Clothilde    (Holstein-Friesian    cow) 

119,  122 

Clydesdales 22-26 

Clydesdale  Stud-Book   22 

Coffin-joint  lameness no 

Coleman's   Eureka 58 

Colts,  Care  of 111-113 

Comet    158 

Conklin's  Abdallah 71 

Contracted  feet 109 

Copperbottom 58 

Copperbottoms,   The 66 

Corns 109 

Cotswold  ewes 275 

Cotswolds    274-277 

Cow,  Parts  of,  Named 114 

Cows,  Care  of 225-233 

Cricket 80 

Curb 109 

Curtis,  Col.  F.  D.,  Death  of 310 

Curtis  Victorias    310-31 1 

Cuyler 68 

Cyclone  (Hampshire  ram) 267 

Dairy  Breeds 115 

Daisy  2nd  (Cheshire  sow) 316 

Dandy  (Davis  Victoria  boar) 372 

Dandy    (Todd's    Improved    Chester 

boar) 37O 

Daniel  Lambert 66 

Daniel  Lamberts,  The 66 

Darley  Arabian 10,  48,  61 

Davis,  E.  W. ,  Letter  from 3r5i  3JO 

Davis  Victorias 312-313 

Dehorning 163,  166,  192,  198,  229 

Delaine  Ewes 253 

Delaine  Merinos 250-254 

Delaine  Wool 250,  252 

Del  march  .  ...  108 


INDKX. 


337 


Demi-Sang 37 

Demuth 56,57 

Denmark 58 

Development  of  the  Trotter 100  108 

Devon  Bull   169 

Devons 167-172 

Dexter   68,  74,  101 

Dexter  Strain  of  Kerries 156 

Dickinson  ewes 247 

Dickinson  Merinos   246  249 

Dictator  (American  Trotter) .  .  .  .65,  68 

Dictators,   The 66 

D.llon,  Levi,  Letter  from 176 

Diomed,  Imported    62 

Dipping     289 

Direct 80,  101 

Dobroy  First 90 

Docking  horses    .  .    46 

Docking  sheep 291 

Dolly  Vardeil  (Hereford  cow).  .  .  .184) 

Donovan    • 52 

Dorset  Sheep   255 

Dorset  Swine 323 

Draft  Breeds 9 

Draft,  Selection  for 99 

Drake  Carter 56,  57 

Duchess  Family  of  Shorthorns 160 

DucheSS  of  Slllithfield  (Ayrshire 

cow) 1 38 

Du  Hays 10 

Durhams   157 

Duroc ' 50,  62,  106,  301 

Duroc-  Jersey  Group 3O3 

Duroc- Jersey  Record..  . jof 

Duroc-Jerseys .301-304 

Duroc  Swine   301 

Dutch-Belted  Cattle 140-143 

Dutch  Belted  Cattle  Herd-Book   140 

Dutch-Friesians 106, 119 

Dutch  mares 27,  90 

Early  lambs 288,  289 

Eclipse 48,  49,  62 

Edgemark 79 

Kdith  (Devon  cow)   171 

Edward  Everetts    The 66 

Edward  The  Great  (Dutch-Bel ted 

bull) 141 

Elaine 72 

Elaine  of  Abclour  (Aberdeen-An- 
gus cow) 199 

Electioneer.  .  .  70,71,72,73,79,82,88,104,107 
22 


Electioneers,  The  66,  104 

Elkwood  52 

Elmo  (Brown  Swiss  bull) 149 

Else  (German  Coach  mare)  ....  43 

Emperor  of  Norfolk  (American 

Thoroughbred)  52,  53,  54 

Engineer  61 

English  Shires  27-30 

English  Style  Riding 58 

English  (or  Black)  Suffolk  323 

English  Thoroughbred,  Degeneracy 

of 49,  56 

Esbly  (French  Coach  Stallion) 38 

Escurial  Family  of  Merinos 238,  243 

Escutcheon  121,  r22,  22  \ 

Essex 320-321 

Essex  Sow  321 

Ethan  Allen 64 

Ethan  Aliens,  The 66 

Ewes,  Care  of  ...  287-291 

Exmoor  Ponies  93 


Farceur  (French  Draft  stallion)   17 

Fearnaughts,  The 66 

Feather 26,  30 

Feeding  for  fat  or  lean 327,  328 

Fellowcraft 56,  57 

Fides 56 

Fields,  IVm.    M.  6°  Bro.,  Methods  of 

III,  112 

Fireaways,  the 44,  62 

Firenzi 52,  56 

Flanders  Draft  Horse 10,  15,  22 

Flora 70 

Flora  Temple 68 

Flukes 134 

Flying  Childers    48,  49,  61 

Flying  Jib 80,  82 

Forest  Breed  (Cattle)    .  .  .154,  167,  180   184 

Foundation  Stock,  Saddle  Horses 58 

Founder    109 

Francoui  (French  Coach  stallion).  .   39 

Freeland  (Oxford  ram) 272 

French  Canadians 63 

French  Coach 37  39 

French  Draft 15  18 

French  Merinos ^37 

Front    Leverage   in  Trottiitjr 
Action 1O3 

Frost,  J.  A/.,  Letter  from    214 

Frou  Frou    78,  79 


338 


INDEX. 


Gaits,  Saddle 58,  60 

Gallipoli 10 

Galloway  King  (Galloway  bull).  .193 

Galloway  robes    194 

Galloways 191-195 

Garibaldi  (Belgian  Draft  stallion)  .  .20 

General  Knox 64,  106 

General  Purpose  Breeds  (Cattle) 115 

George  M.  Patchen    66 

George  Wilkes 73,  74,  82 

Geraldine 56 

German  Coach  Horses   ..  42~43 

German  Merinos 238 

Gestations  in  cows,  Period  of 210,  230 

Gestation  in  mares,  Period  of 96 

Gestation  in  sheep,  Period  of  291 

Gestation  in  swine,  Period  of 330,  332 

Gilderoy  (Clydesdale  stallion) 23 

Gimcrack 62 

Godolphin  Barb  (Arabian) 10,  48,  61 

Gold-dust 64 

Goldsmith  Maid 70,  101 

Gordon,  Jno.  I.,  Secy.,  Letter  from.  .270 

Goth  (English  Shire  stallion)    29 

Gothlands 309 

Grand   Bashaw 64,  66 

Grass  Breed    (Swine) 307 

Graves,  C.  A.,   Methods  of 112,  nj 

Green's  Bashaw 66 

Green  Mountain  Maid 70,  71 

Green  Mountain  Morgan,  Hale's    64 

Gaudaloupe  Family  of  Merinos 243 

Guernseys .       .131-134 

Guy  (Pacer) 80,  82 

Guy  (Trotter) 70,  71,  77,  78 

Guy  Wilkes 71 

Hackneys 44-46 

Hal  Pointer 80 

Hambletonian,  Bishop's   68 

Hambletonian,  Rysdyk's  ...  .62,  64,  66,  68, 
7o,72.  73-74,  77,  104,  105,  106 

Hambletonians,  The 66 

H-a-m-i-1-t-o-n-i-a-n 68 

Hamlin's  Almont 70 

Hammond,  Edwin,  Certificate  of   ...  .244 

Hampshire  ewes 269 

Hampshires 267-270 

Hanoverian  Coach  Horse 42 

Haphazard   62 

Happy  Medium  ...    68,  76,  82,  104 

Happy  Mediums,  The 66 


Harold 70,  106 

Heat,  Recurrence  of  in  mares 113 

Heavy  Carriage  Breeds    9 

Hedgeford,  Imported    58 

Helm,  If.  T. 6j 

Henry  Clay 66 

Henry,  Prof.   W.    A.,  Report  of 327 

Herefords   185-190 

Herod  Line  of  Horses    48 

Hiatogas,  The 66 

History    of    the     Oldenburg     Horse 

(Hoffmeister)    40 

Hog,  Parts  of,  Named 292 

Holderness 144 

Holstein-Friesian     Breeders'     Contro- 
versy   120-121 

Holstein-Friesians 1 16-124 

Horned  Dorset  Group 256 

Horned  Dorsets  (Sheep) 255-256 

Horse  Breeder,   The 44,  46 

Horse,  Parts  of,  Named 8 

Horses,    Selection,  Care  and  Manage- 
ment of 99~ IJ3 

Horses,  Summary  of  Part  First 9 

Hubback   158 

In-breeding  denned 158 

Indian  Buffalo  (Bos  gaurus) 211 

Indian  Pony  Group 97 

Indian  Ponies 96-98 

Infantado  Family  of  Merinos 238,  243 

Iroquois 50 

Irish  Grazier  Swine   298 

Irish  Longhorns 173 

Jay  Eye  See( American  Trotter) 63, 

65,  66,  69,  70,  87,  101 

Jersey  Bull 127 

Jersey   Group    129 

Jersey    Reds 301 

Jerseys 125-130 

Johnston 80, 101 

Joker  (American  Merino  ram) 239 

Jolie  2nd,  (Guernsey  cow) 134 

Joseph   (Percheron   stallion) 11 

Journal  Royal  Agrl.   Society 264 

Justin  Morgan 64 

Kanucks T  ....  63 

Kentucky  Prince 71 

Kerries 154-156 

Kerry  Cows  155 


INDKX. 


339 


Kildeer 56 

King  Herod 48 

Kirsch 57 

Kite  track. 63,  80 

Knoxes,  The 66,  106 

Kyloes 215 

Kremlin 72,  73,  79,  80 

Lady  Aldine  (Dutch  Belted  cow) .  .143 

Lakenfield  Cattle 140 

Lambs,  Care  of 288-291 

Laminitis  109 

Lamplighter 56 

Laiidessohn  (Oldenburg  Coach  stal- 
lion)   41 

Landseer's  Fancy,  Butter  record  of.  ...  128 

Large  Breeds  (Swine) 293 

La  Tosca 57 

Leading  Sires,  1892 82 

Leamington 50,  57 

Lebed  First 90 

Leicester  ewe 279 

Leicester  Group 28O 

Leicesters   278-281 

Leiston  (Suffolk  Punch  stallion).  . .  .32 
Leverage  in  Wild  Animals,    Ratios  of.  . 

107,  108 

Lexington 50,  57 

Lincoln  Group  (Sheep) 284 

Lincoln  Horse 22,  27 

Lincolns  (Sheep) 282-285 

Lindsey  Arabian    64 

Line  Trotters 105 

Little  Albert 77.  78 

Little  Brown  Jug 101 

Little  Minch 52 

Lobasco 77,  78,  79 

Lochlyoch  mares 22 

Longhorns  ....173-175 

Longhorn  steers  174 

Long  Island  Blackhawk    66 

Long,  Prof.  Jas 294, 320, 324 

Long-wooled  Breeds    235 

Lord  Clinton 77-78 

Lord  Kingsbury(Hackney  stallion)  45 
Lord  Derby  (Cleveland  Bay  stallion)  36 

Lord  Preston  (Lincoln  ram) 283 

Lorena  (Polled  Durham  cow) 2O3 

Louis  (Percheron  stallion) 13 

Low,  Prof.  David. .  .27,  34,  48,  49,  93, 133, 
168,  2ij,  220,  2j6,  255,  257,  260 


Lubezney  First 90 

Magie  Swine 298 

Magna  Charta 64 

Main  (Advanced)   Register,  Conditions 

for  admission  to 118-120 

Mambrino 61,  66,  73 

Mambrino,  American 66,  73 

Mambrino  Chief 66,  68,  71,  73 

Mambrino  Patchen 68 

Mambrino  Paymaster 66 

Mambrinos,  The 66 

Manager 80 

Manzanita 71,  79 

Marion  5th  of  Castlemilk  (Gal- 
loway cow) 195 

Marius  (Shorthorn  bull) 159 

Mares,  Brood,  Care  of 110-113 

Marshall. 163 

Marske 48 

Martha  Wilkes 76,  77 

Mary  Marshall 108 

Mascot  (Pacer) 80,  81,  82 

Massena,  Butter  record  of 128 

Matchem 61 

Matilda  4th,  Butter  record  of  128 

Maud  S.  .63,  66,  68,  70,  76,  77,  101,  106,  108 

Maxey  Cobb 68,  74 

Mayflower 71 

McDoiuell,   Jas 248 

Medley,  Imported 62 

Merinos 236-254 

Merritt,   Consul 283 

Messenger-Duroc    62,  72 

Messenger-Durocs,  The 66 

Messenger,  Imported 61,  62,  64,  66,  68 

Mexican  Pony  Group 95 

Mexican  Ponies. 94-96 

Midas  (Guernsey  bull)  133 

Middle  Breeds  (Swine) 293 

Middle  White  Breed  (Swine) 324 

Middle-wooled  Breeds 235 

Midnight 70 

Milk  Mirror 121,  122,  224 

Milk  Wedge 224 

Miller,  J.  H. 202 

Mills,  C.  F. ,  Methods  of 291 

Miss  Hervey 62 

Miss  Russell 70 

Mohawks,  The 66 

Montarco  Family  Merinos 240,  243 


34° 


INDEX. 


Montgomery,   IV.  B.,  Letter  from.  152,  75, -> 

Moore  Swine 298 

Moquette 79 

Morfe  Common  Sheep.  .  .• 264 

Morgan,  Justin 64,  66 

Morgans,  The 66 

Merrills,  The   66 

Muir,  L.  P.,  Secy.,  Letter  from 194 

Muotta  (Brown  Swiss  cow) 149 

Mustangs 94 

Nancy  Hanks   (American    trotter) 

75,  76,  101,  104 

Native  Full  Bloods 19 

National  Live  Stock  Journal .  . . .  756, 186 

National   Stockman 252 

Navicular  Disease no 

Neapolitans 322 

Negretti  Family  of  Merinos  .  .238,  240,  243 

Nelson 72,  74 

Netherlaiul     Prince    (Holstein- 

Friesian  bull) 117 

Nettie  Norton 50 

Norlaine 72,  79 

Norfolk 54 

Norfolk  Reds  (Cattle) 163 

Norfolk  Thin  Rind 307 

Normans .  .   .15 

Xormaudie  Bull 177 

Normandie  Cow 178 

Normandies 176-179 

North  Devons 167 

North  Wales  Black  Cattle 180-183 

Norton,  C.   IV.  &>  Sons,    Methods  of 

23°,  23r 

Norton,  Oak  G. ,  Death  of   231,  232 

Norval .72 

Nutwood 82 

Oldenburg  Coach  Horses  ....;.           40-41 
Oldenburg-German  Coach  Horse  Con- 
troversy   42 

Onward .  .  82 

Orloff  Trotters 90 

Oval  tracks  (Regulation)   80 

Oxfordshires 271-273 

Pacers,  2:10  list  of 80 

Pacing  Blood       58,  66,  68,  So,  82 

Packard,  Hon.  S.   B 184 

Palo  Alto    72,  73 


PAGE 

Pancoast   68 

Parole 50 

Part  First,  Summary  of       9 

Part  Second,  Summary  of    115 

Part  Third,  Summary  of 235 

Part  Fourth,  Summary  of    293 

Patron 68 

Patton  Stock     158 

Paular  Merinos 243-246 

Paulina  (Red  Pol.ed  cow) 165 

Pauline  Paul,  Butter  record  of  .  .123 

Pearl 64 

Pedigrees: 

Electioneer 88 

Emperor  of  Norfolk 54 

Jay  Eye  See 87 

Mascot 89 

Maud  S 85 

Nancy  Hanks     84 

Phallas 86 

The  Bard    52 

Pembrokes 184 

Perchero-Norman  Controversy   ...      12,  15 

Percherons 10-14 

Percheron  Stud  Book 10 

Perfection  (Chester-White  boar)  .  .306 

Peter's  Halcorn 58 

Peters,  Richard,  Letter  from  .  .  .  ,214,320 

Phallas  (American  Trotter) ....  50,  51,  56, 

60,  67,  68,  86 

Phoenix    .  .  158 

Pocahontas     101 

Piertetje  2nd,  Milk  rccoid  of , .    123 

Pigs,  Care  of 3jO  334 

Pilot    63,64 

Pilot  Jr 63,  66,  70,  71 

Pilots,  The   66 

Points  for  rejection,  Horses 100 

Poland-China  Group. 299 

Poland-Chinas 298-300 

Polkan  First   90 

Polled-Angus 196 

Polled   Durhama   201  203 

Pony  Breeds 9 

Potomac  Mare 54 

Prat  her,  S.  £.,  Secy.,  Letter  from   ...263 

Prince  Albert   58 

Prince  Charlie  (Shorthorn  bull)..  161 
Prince  Bismark  (Paular  ram). .  .  .244 

Princeps 70 

Princess .68 


INDKX. 


341 


Princess  Family  Shorthorns 160 

Prioress 50 

Racine  57 

Rambouillet  Sheep 237 

Rams,  Care  of 288  291 

Rarus 71,101 

Ratios  of  Front   Leverage.  .  .  .  102,  104,  105 

Ratios  of  Rear  Leverage 104-108 

Raveloe 57 

Ray,  Jno.  P.,  Letter  from    243-246 

Rear  Leverage  in  Trotting-  Ac- 
tion  1O7 

Red  Letter  Registry  (Davons) 172 

Red  Polled  Cattle   163-166 

lied  Polled  Group    164 

Red  Wilkes ..82 

Regulus 61 

Reversion,  Case  cf 191,  192 

Rich  Family  Merinos 245 

Ringbone 109,  no 

Rivers,  IVm.,  Letter  from 281 

Robert  J 80 

Robinson  Family  Merinos 239,  245 

Royal  Georges,  The .  .    ...  66 

Royalty  (Cleveland  Bay  stallion)  .  . .  .35 

Roy  Wilkes 80 

Running  Breeds 9 

Running  Horses 47 

Running  Records  by  Distance 56 

Rysdyk's  Hambletonian 62,  64,  66,  68f 

70,  72,  73,  74,  77,  104,  105,  106 

Sable 71 

Sable  Wilkes 71 

Saddle  Gaits 58,  60 

Saddle  Horses 58-60 

Saddle   Horse   Stud  Book,  rules  for 

entry  38 

Salvator 56,  57 

Sam  Booker 58 

Sampson 48,  61 

Sanborn,  H.  B. ,  Methods  of no 

Sanders,  J.  H. 10 

Saxon  Merinos 238 

Scandanavian  Horses 34,  90,  91 

Select  (Guernsey  cow)      131 

Selection  for  Beef 225 

Selection  for  Draft .    .    99 

Selection  for  Milk   224 

Selection  for  Speed    99-108 

Shattuck,  L.  E.,  Methods  of.    .  .  ,.289-20.0 


Shearing 289,  290,  291 

Sheep,  Parts  ofs  Named     234 

Sheep,    Selection,    Care,  and  Manage- 
ment of   .      286-291 

Sheep,  Summary  of  Part  Third 235 

Sherman     64 

Shetland-pony  Slud  Book,  Joules  for 

entry   g2 

Shetland  Pony  Group  91 

3hetlands 90-92 

Shorthorns 157-162 

Short-wooled  Breeds.    235 

Shropshire  Group 265 

Shropshire  Record 264 

Shropshires 264-266 

Signal's  Lily  Flagg,  Butter  record  of 

128,  130 

Silesian  Merinos 238 

Silkwood 80 

Simmenthal  Cattle    207-209 

Simmenthal  Group 2O9 

Singlefoot    60 

Sir  Charles  (Hereford  Lull) 187 

Sir  Hugh  (Ayrshire  bull) 135 

Sir  Peter 62 

Sleepy  Tom 101 

Small  Breeds  (Swiue)     293 

Small  Yorkshires 317-319 

Smetanxa 10,  90 

Smiths,   Pozvell  and  Lamb,  Methods 

of 225,  226 

Smuggler io/< 

Snap 48 

Solid  Color  Defined 126 

Sources  of  Saddle-Horse  Blood 58 

Sources  of  Trotting  Blood 61-64 

Southdown  Group 261 

Southdowns 260-263 

Sows,  Care  of. 33°~334 

Spariish  Cattle 220 

Spavin 109 

Spear,  Grant  IV.,  Secy.,  Letter  from. jog 

Speed  Improvement,  Cause  of 80 

Speed,  Selection  for 99-108 

Spiletta 48 

Splint 109 

Springbok   50 

Springer,  Jno.  G. ,  Secy. ,  Letter  from  2g6 
Stallion  Crown  by  Records  .  .  .72,  73,  74,  79 

Stallions,  Care  of 110-113 

Stamboul 72,  73 

Standard  (Cotswold  ram) 276 


342 


Standard-Bred    defined 82-83 

Star    Eagle  (American  Saddle  stal- 
lion)     59 

Star  Gaited 106 

St.  Clair 66,  71 

Stericker,  R.  P.,  Methods  of /// 

Stezvart,  Henry 23^i  24O 

St.  Julien 70,  78,  101 

St.  Lawrence   63 

Stone,  J.  L 264 

Stubbs,  C.  E.,  Secy.,  Letter  from 40 

Stump-The-Dealer 58 

Success  2nd  (Small  Yorkshire  boar) 

318 

Suffolks,  Black  (Swine) 323 

Suffolk  Color  (Horses) 31 

Suffolk  Punch    3°-33 

Suffolk  Reds  (Cattle) 163 

Suffolks,  White  (Swine) 324 

Sunol 71,  76,  79,  101,  106,  108 

Suprenaut  (French  Draft  stalKon).  .16 

Sussex  Cattle 204-206 

Sussex  Group 2O5 

Sweeny 109 

Sweepstakes     (Todd's     Improved 

Chester  Sow) 3O8 

Swine,  Feeding  of 326-328 

Swine,   Selection,   Care  and    Manage- 
ment of 325-334 

Swine,  Summary  of  Part  Fourth  293 

Tammany  (American  Thoroughbred 

stallion) 55 

Tamworth  Swine 301 

Tarentine  Sheep 236 

Tea  Tray 56 

Telegraph 71 

Ten  Broeck 50,  56,  57 

Terra  Cotta 52 

Terry,  T.  G -328 

Texas   58 

Texas  Cattle    220  222 

Texas  Steer 221 

The  Bard  (American  Thoroughbred) 

50,  51,  52 

The  Trotting  Gait 100-108 

Thibet  Shawl  Goats   211 

Thompson,   S.  D.,  Secy., Letter  from  ..14 

Thoroughbred  Blood  in  Trotter 73 

Thoroughbred  defined 47 

Thoroughbreds 47~57 

Thoroughpin 109 


Thrifton,  Phil.,  Methods  of 33O~332 

Todd's  Improved  Chester-White  Rec- 


ord 


3°7 


Todd's  Improved  Chester-Whites  .  .307-308 

Tom  Hal 66 

Tom  Ochiltree   50 

Tinwald     Chieftain     (Clydesdale 

Stallion) 25 

Trinkett 70 

Tristan 56 

Trotting  Breeds 9 

Trotting  Records,  1888 68-72 

Trotting  Records,  1892 72-80 

Trotting  Records  for  age,  1888 7l~72 

Trotting  Records  for  age,  1892     .  .        78-80 

True  Briton   ; 64 

Turf.-.. 61 

Turf,  ticld  and  Farm 52,  56 

Van  Meter's  Waxy 58 

Varnon's  Roebuck 58 

Velocity 64 

Vermont  Blackh^wk   64,  66,  74 

Victoria  (North  Wales  Black  cow) .  182 

Victorias,  Curtis, 310,  31 1 

Victorias,  Davis, .312,  313 

Vinette 80 

Volunteer 70 

Volunteers,  The 66 

Von  Schluembach,  Letter  from 207 

Vulcan  (Cheshire'  boar)    315 

Warren  County  Swine 298 

Warren,  J.  B.,  Letter  from 180 

Water  Ox  (Indian  Buffalo) 211 

Waxana 71 

Waxy 71 

Welsh  Ponies 93 

West  Highland  Bull 216 

West  Highland  Cow  and  Calf.  218 

West  Highlands 215-219 

White  &>  Conover,  Letter  from jog 

White,  Mrs.  Harriet  Davis.. 212 

White  Suffolk  (Swine) 324 

White  Turk 48 

Wildair  Breed 64 

Wildflower 71 

Wild  Forest  Breed 154,  167,  180,  184 

Wilkses,  The 66 

Williams,  Consul 176 

Williams,  C.  W.    74 

Windfall  (Guernsey  cow) 134 


[NDEX. 


VVinslow  Wilkes    80 

Wood  bury 64 

Woodford  Mambrino   70 

Wood,  Jas.,  Letter  from 267,  208 

Wood's  Hambletonians,  The       66 

W.  Wood  ..        . 80 


Yorkville  Belle  . . 

YoiKtll,  William 
Young  Bashaw  .  . 


PAGK 

56 

•  -27,  -A  236,278,322 
64,  66 


Zebu  Cattle.    .  210 


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